Two former Salt Lake County GOP leaders filed lawsuits against state and county leaders and others on Friday, saying there was a coordinated campaign to remove them from their roles in the Republican party.
Both David Robinson and Scott Miller’s lawsuits name more than 100 defendants, including Gov. Spencer Cox, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, House leader Brad Wilson and Senate leader Stuart Adams, Zions Bank President and CEO Scott Anderson and The Salt Lake Tribune, among others.
In March 2021, The Tribune reported more than half a dozen Republican women said they experienced a toxic environment within the Salt Lake County GOP. The women accused Robinson, the party’s former volunteer communications director, of harassment, body shaming and other inappropriate behavior. They also said Miller, the party’s former chairman, dismissed their complaints about this behavior.
Robinson filed a notice of claim against the state in October, which is required when filing a lawsuit against a government agency or a state employee. The notice included statements, social media comments and Facebook likes from state leaders that he said constituted a “concerted effort to defame him.”
Robinson’s suit alleges defamation, intentional interference with contractual and economic relations, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, false light and conspiracy. He is seeking $60 million in damages, the suit states.
Miller’s suit alleges defamation, conspiracy, interference with election efforts, violation of GRAMA requests, and violation of civil and constitutional rights. He is seeking $40 million in damages, the suit states.
The Tribune reached out to multiple people named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit on Friday night but did not receive responses by publication time.
Scott Miller Lawsuit by The Salt Lake Tribune on Scribd
David Robinson lawsuit by The Salt Lake Tribune on Scribd
Correction • Jan. 30, 10:02 a.m.: An earlier version of this story misstated the roles of House leader Brad Wilson and Senate leader Stuart Adams.
