2 weeks Ago
A trustee on the Douglas County Library Board is suing County Commissioner George Teal for making false claims that she was under criminal investigation. According to a lawsuit filed by attorney Dalton Laney on behalf of Meghann Silverthorn, Teal has "expressed an unwarranted desire" to remove Silverthorn from the Library Board for reasons that were "politically motivated and unrelated to her performance" since July of 2023. The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners is also named in the suit.
At the Aug. 28 Board of County Commissioners meeting, Teal accused Silverthorn of being under investigation in connection with her role as treasurer of the Douglas County Republican Party. Teal, along with Commissioner Abe Laydon, voted to remove Silverthorn from her position on the county's Library Board, citing "possible criminal charges.
" Commissioner Lora Thomas was not present at the meeting and says she requested the vote be postponed. Thomas said she opposed Silverthorn's removal, stating that commissioners had not been provided with any evidence of her misconduct. According to the lawsuit, Teal's allegations caused Silverthorn "significant emotional distress, personal humiliation, and damage to her reputation.
" The lawsuit further claims that the attempt to remove Silverthorn from the board was conducted improperly, as she was not notified, and the matter was not listed on the meeting's agenda. The lawsuit states that during a Sept. 5 Library Board meeting, members confirmed that there were no issues with Silverthorn's performance nor was she under criminal investigation.
Following the meeting, Library Board President Terry Nolan sent a letter to commissioners affirming that Silverthorn was in good standing and that no evidence of her misconduct existed. During a county business meeting five days later, Silverthorn directly addressed the commissioners regarding Teal's allegations. "This has been ongoing for some time," she said, explaining that Teal tried to remove her from the Library Board in 2023 for assisting Douglas County GOP Chairman Steve Peck in writing a letter criticizing the commissioners for allowing a drag show to take place on the Douglas County fairgrounds.
Teal told commissioners that an unnamed "small business leader and donor" expressed frustration to him that Silverthorn had not been audited by the Douglas County GOP, further accusing her of being uncooperative with the audit committee. Silverthorn denied these claims, stating they were untrue. According to Teal, an audit committee with the Douglas County GOP began a "preliminary investigation" into Silverthorn, but found no evidence of any wrongdoing.
"I don’t take my reputation lightly at all," said Silverthorn. "I think that this whole entire matter is very unfortunate. I’d really like to know what this is actually about, and maybe I’ll never know, but if this board is willing to move on, then I would appreciate that very much for their sakes as well as the sakes of everyone in this county.
" Thomas made a motion to deny Silverthorn's removal, which was seconded by Laydon. "I’m not even sure why we’re here," Thomas told Silverthorn. "I come from a background of law enforcement, and you never charge someone until there’s enough evidence to bring a case forward.
I’m sorry you’re even here, Meghann. Thank you for everything you’ve done for this community, both political and not political, for many years." The lawsuit stipulates that, if found guilty, Teal must publicly retract the defamatory statements he made about Silverthorn, immediately cease all efforts to remove her from the Library Board, and ensure that any future discussions regarding Silverthorn's role on the board be handled in a "transparent and procedurally sound manner, including proper notice and the opportunity for her to address any concerns directly.
" The suit also seeks monetary damages for Silverthorn, to be determined as the case progresses. According to Thomas, the incident with Silverthorn is "classic George Teal." "Teal has weaponized the power of a county commissioner," she said.
"He never has any videos, any pictures, or any evidence, but George is a master at smearing peoples' reputation with his words." Thomas claims that Teal has been making unfounded allegations against her for the past three years, leading to her removal from various boards and committees. "Our dynamic is that whatever George wants, more than likely Abe will go along with it, and if Abe wants something, George goes along with it," she said, referring to Laydon.
Thomas says she has no idea where the allegations against Silverthorn came from, because she hasn't seen any evidence to support them. Although the attorneys she has spoken with told her pursuing a defamation suit against Teal would be difficult due to her own status as an elected official. Silverthorn, as a private citizen, faces a lower threshold for proving defamation.
"George bit off more than he can chew this time," she said. Teal is currently up for reelection for his commissioner seat. Thomas is terming out this year and Laydon was reelected to his final term in 2022.
George Teal and Meghann Silverthorn could not be reached for comment..
