Confronted with a council chamber filled with upset residents, the City Council of Peachtree City on Thursday voted 5-0 to drop a resolution to permit city-funded lawsuits against critics it deemed defamatory.
The measure would have amended the city’s indemnification language to provide legal counsel for any employees or elected or appointed officials who might be “subject to unwarranted public defamation” in public forums, including newspapers, television and social media.
Commenters ranging from veterans to the American Civil Liberties Union rebuked the proposal, saying it would intimidate citizens and squelch free speech. Council members said the resolution’s intent was to protect individuals from false or harmful claims, but admitted the idea was “a mistake.”
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