Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix is claiming that his assertion in a February email to a city staffer that former Mayor Harold Logsdon was “part drunk” during meetings is true.
Haddix, who is being sued by Logsdon for libel, claims that a witness has testified under oath that Logsdon had alcohol on his breath during a City Council meeting and also “was red in the face and perspiring.”
The identity of the witness is not disclosed in Haddix’s formal answer to the libel lawsuit filed by Logsdon.
Logsdon in the lawsuit has asserted that Haddix’s claim he was part drunk at meetings was false, and he alleges that the claim was made maliciously. The Citizen has been unable to reach Logsdon for further comment.
Haddix, for his part, noted in a press release that the email only went to one city staffer, and he said the reference was made for the purpose of “historical reference to a current agenda item.”
The statement was made in an email to then-economic development coordinator Joey Grisham in reference to a change to the city’s alcohol sales hours.
“Do I regret including the statement? Yes. Was it inaccurate? No,” Haddix wrote.
In the suit, Logsdon claims that the email has been circulated among a number of people in the community, harming his reputation.
Both Haddix and Logsdon are asking the court for legal fees in connection with the case.
Haddix is also claiming that Logsdon was a public figure at the time he sent the email in February of this year. If the court were to make that determination, the bar would be raised higher as Logsdon would have to prove that Haddix made the comment with malicious intent.
Logdson is being represented by former Peachtree City Attorney Rick Lindsey and Haddix is being represented by attorney John Mrosek.
