Patti B. Sues Charity Spokesman

False statements against Patti will not go unanswered, lawyer says

Patti Blagojevich's (bleeping) reputation has been tarnished enough already, so the former first lady of Illinois has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Chicago Christian Industrial League spokeman Richard Roberts who allegedly shamed her.

Blagojevich claims Richard Roberts, the senior director of strategy and communication at CCIL, dragged her name through the mud when he publicly accused her of using the charity's private mailing list to promote her husband's new book.

Two weeks ago, Richard Roberts, the senior director of strategy and communication at the charity where Blagojevich used to work, publicly accused her of inappropriately using the charity's donor list for self-promotion, according to a report by the Chicago Tribune.

The suit claims defendant Roberts accused Blagojevich of stealing the list, then made false statements about it to Sun-Times' columnist Michael Sneed, who is not named in the suit.  Blagojevich, who was fired from the organization after her husband was arrested, claims she compiled the mailing list herself, taking names from her own personal contacts.

"There is no easier way to attract media attention and generate free publicity than to make false accusations against a person whose life is the focus of constant public attention and scrutiny," said Jay Edelson of KamberEdelson, lead attorney.

"Hopefully, this will send the message that making false statements against Patti or Rod Blagojevich will not go unanswered," said Edelson, who also handles civil actions filed against the former Governor of Illinois.

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