A Park Ridge attorney who appears poised to win a Cook County judgeship has filed a defamation suit against a political critic, saying she used a Facebook post to allegedly falsely accuse him of taking his rival’s campaign signs.
On Oct. 30, Frank R. DiFranco filed a complaint in Cook County Circuit Court against Carole Martz, identified as a resident of Mt. Prospect.
DiFranco is the Republican nominee for a seat in the Cook County Circuit Court’s 12th Judicial Subcircuit, which covers much of Cook County’s northwest suburbs, including Maine Township, Elk Grove Township and Wheeling Township.
This fall, he was locked in a tightly contested race with Democrat Patricia M. Fallon.
According to unofficial election results, DiFranco held a slim 485 vote lead over Fallon. DiFranco had received 80,653 votes to 80,168 for Fallon.
According to DiFranco’s lawsuit, on Oct. 21, with just days to go to Election Day, Martz allegedly published a post to Facebook, alleging “a friend of mine just witnessed judge candidate Frank DiFranco personally remove Fallon signs” at Mt. Prospect Village Hall “and put them in his trunk.”
She allegedly added: “This is happening all over the suburbs. Dirty politics in judicial races. Disgusting.”
According to DiFranco’s lawsuit, Martz “failed to conduct (a) reasonable inquiry” as to whether the allegations against DiFranco were true before publishing the alleged statement.
DiFranco said the accusation is false, and Martz’s alleged statement allegedly “subjects him to contempt, and humiliation in his profession” and personally, by accusing him of doing something illegal.
DiFranco asserts the alleged statement attributed to Martz was published “with the specific intent to harm and/or destroy (DiFranco’s) reputation both professionally and personally.”
DiFranco is seeking damages of more than $50,000, plus costs of bringing the lawsuit.
DiFranco is represented in the action by attorney Frank J. Serio P.C., of Park Ridge.