Windom v Harshbarger

0.4 MB·English

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF RITCHIE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
CIVIL CASE INFORMATION STATEMENT
(Civil Cases Other than Domestic Relations)
I. CASE STYLE: Case No. 19-C- 3
Plaintiff(s) Judge: Sweeney
Scott A. \Vindoin
101 E. Main St
Harrisville, \VV 26362
vs. Days to C)
Co
Defendant(s) Answer Type ofService
C—
Jason S. Harshbarger 20 Personal Service
NJ
Name
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2551 Oxford Rd -a
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Street Address —
Pullman, WV 26421 --
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City, State, Zip Code NJ
II. TYPE OF CASE:
General Civil D Adoption
fl Mass Litigation [As de/bied in T.C.R. 26.04(a)] D Administrative Agency Appeal
fl Asbestos D
Civil Appeal from Magistrate Court
L
FELA Asbestos D Miscellaneous Civil Petition
D Other: D Mental Hygiene
fl Habeas Corpus/Other Extraordinary Writ D Guardianship
fl Other:____________________________________________________________ D Medical Malpractice
ILl. JURY DEMAND: H Yes No CASE WILL BE READY FOR TRIAL BY (Month/Year): /
IV. DO YOU OR ANY IF YES, PLEASE SPECIFY:
OF YOUR CLIENTS H Wheelchairaccessible hearing room and other facilites
OR WITNESSES H Reader or other auxiliary aid for the visually impaired
IN THIS CASE
Interpreter or other auxiliary aid for the deafand hard ofhearing
REQUIRE SPECiAL
H
Spokesperson or other auxiliary’ aid for the speech impaired
ACCOMMODATIONS?
H
Foreign laaguagc interpreter-specie’ language:
fl
Yes No
Other
Attorney Name: Scott A. Windorn Representing:
Finm Windom Law Offices, PLLC E Plaintiff fl Defendant
Address: 101 E Main St. Hanisville. WV 26362 : H Cross-Defendant H Cross-Complainant
Telephone: [phone] fl 3rd-Party Plaintiff 3rd-Party Defendant
H
Proceeding Without an Attorney
Original and__a_copies ofcomplaint enclosed/attached.
Dated: 1 / 24 I 2019 Signatur%
SCA-C-100: Civil Case Information Statement (Other than Domestic Relations) Revision Date: 12/2015
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF RITCHIE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
SCOTT A. WINDOM,
Plaintiff,
v. CASE NO. 19-C-________
The Honorable Timothy L. Sweeney
JASON S. HARSHBARGER, ‘t
L
Defendant. —?..*— p-)
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COMPLAINT r
Comes now the Plaintiff, SCOTT A. WINDOM, by and through counsel, Windôi’n Law
Offices, PLLC, and for his Complaint herein, does now hereby state as follows:
PARTIES
I) Plaintiff, Scott A. Windom (“Windom”). is a resident of Ritchie County, West Virginia,
with a mailing address of 5548 State Park Road, Cairo, West Virginia.
2) Defendant, Jason Harshbarger (“Harshbarger”), is a resident of Ritchie County, West
Virginia, with a mailing address of2551 Oxford Road, Pullman, West Virginia, and the current
Delegate for the 7th District which includes Ritchie and Pleasants counties.
JURISDICTION & VENUE
3) This action is brought pursuant to the provisions ofthe “Uniform Declaratory Judgments
Act,” W. Va. Code §55-13-I, et seq., and Rule 57 ofthe West Virginia Rules ofCivil Procedure,
seeking a declaratory judgment confirming Plaintiffs rights under the First Amendment to the
United States Constitution to participate in Facebook discussions on the Defendant’s Facebook
page for “Delegate Jason Harshbarger” and that the Defendant’s actions to block the Plaintiffhave
deprived the Plaintiff of his rights. Plaintiff respectfiully asks that the Court declare that the
viewpoint-based exclusion ofthe Plaintiffviolates the First Amendment, and order the Defendant
to restore Plaintiffs access to comment on the Facebook page.
4) This action is also brought pursuant to the “Equitable Remedies” provisions of W. Va.
Code §53-5-1, ci seq., seeking injunctive relief to coercively protect Plaintiffs Constitutional
rights from Defendant’s improper interference and attempts to inhibit, impede and deny Plaintiffs
rightful use ofa public forum.
5) Substantive law ofthe State ofWest Virginia governs this civil action due to the domicile
ofthe parties which is in Ritchie County, West Virginia.
6) The Circuit Court ofRitchie County, West Virginia, has general and personal jurisdiction
over the parties to this civil action.
7) Venue is proper in the Circuit Court of Ritchie County, West Virginia, inasmuch as the
events and actions giving rise to this cause of action are specifically linked and related to the
actions ofthe parties in Ritchie County, \Vest Virginia.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
8) Harshbarger is an elected member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing
approximately 18,000 individuals from the 7th District which included Ritchie County and
Pleasants County, West Virignia.
9) Harshbarger has a social media account on Facebook. His Facebook page known as
“Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger”.
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10) Facebook is a platform that allows its users to publish messages and articles, to republish or
respond to others’ messages, and to interact with other Facebook users in relation to those
messages. Speech posted on Facebook deals with a multitude of topics and interests, but
particularly relevant here is that a significant amount ofspeech posted on Harshbarger’s Facebook
page is by, to or about the government.
11) A Facebook account holder is an individual who has created an account on the platform. A
user can post messages to their own account or reply to messages on pages that they “like” of
“follow”. These posts can include photographs, videos and links to websites. The Facebook page
for “Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger” has more than 1,000 followers and 859 people have liked the
page.
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12) A Facebook user’s webpage displays all posts generated by the user with the most recent posts
appearing at the top of the page. This display is known as a user’s “tirneline.” When a user
generates a post, the timeline updates immediately to include that post. Anyone who can view a
user’s public Facebook page can the user’s timeline. Below is a screenshot ofpart ofthe timeline
associated with the Facebook page for “Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger” or jason.s.harshbarger:
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13) A Facebook user must have an account name associated with their Facebook webpage.
When the Facebook user creates a post, there is a “button” that allows otherFacebook users to post
comments and reply to comments.
14) The Facebook page also has a “button” to allow Facebook users to message the person who
has the page. Those messages are sent privately and are seen through a mobile application or in a
separate window on the Facebook page.
15) Harshbarger’s page and timeline are visible to everyone with internet access who has a
Facebook account. However, Harshbarger can block some users from commenting or messaging
his page, even though they can view the page and the timeline.
16) When a user comments or replies, the comment or reply can include photographs, videos,
GIFs or text. Other users can then reply to that comment or reply, thereby allowing the users to
have a dialogue and create a comment thread.
17) When users reply and comment on a post, those who are commenting on the same post are
notified by Facebook that a comment or reply has been made to the post, thus encouraging further
dialogue and bringing users back to the post for “views”.
18) A user whose account is public but who wants to limit the comments from certain other
users, can block comments from a particularuser. Although Facebook makes the blocking feature
available to all users, it is the user that decides whether to make use of the feature and against
whom the feature will be used. A blocked user is thus prevented from commenting or replying to
comments in the first user’s Facebook account.
19) Harshbarger established his account in our about 2016 and has used the account to engage
with his followers and the public about legislation, public policy, his campaign and endorsements,
among other topics. He uses the account as an instrument ofhis office, and during the legislative
session, he uses it almost exclusively as a channel for communicating with the public about the
ongoing legislative session. Because ofthe way that he uses his Facebook account, Harshbarger’s
posts have become an important source ofnews and information about State government, and the
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comment threads associated with the posts have become important forums for speech by, to and
about the Legislature.
20) Harshbarger presents the account to the public as one that he operates in his official
capacity ratherthan his personal page. The page is identified as “Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger.”
The about link on the page appears as follows:
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21) Harshbarger’s Facebook account is accessible to the public at large without regard to
political affiliation or any other limitingcriteria. Harshbarger allows anyone to follow his account
that chooses to do so. The account has over 1,000 followers and other members ofthe Facebook
community can comment on the posts on Harshbarger’s page. The only users who cannot
comment, reply or message on Harshbarger’s page are those users that Harshbarger chooses to
block.
22) Windom was blocked by Harshbarger during the 2018 legislative session, apparently after
a discussion to a post about the “co-tenancy” bill that Harshbarger supported. Harshbarger’s
blocking ofWindom’s comments, replies or messages prevents or impedes Windom from replying
to dialogue and discussion between Harshbarger and his constituents. In fact, in the comments
below, Harshbarger referenced overwhelming support for a bill he voted for. He had blocked at
least opponent of that bill from commenting on the Facebook page, thus limiting the dialogue
between Harshbarger and his constituents.
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23) The blocking of Windom violates Windom’s First Amendment rights by distorting the
expressive forum in which Harshbarger and other non-blocked users participate and engage in
discussions with their delegate.
COUNT I: Violation of the First Amendment ofthe United States Constitution and
Article III, § 7 ofthe Constitution ofWest Virginia
24) The Plaintiffincorporates by reference all previous paragraphs to this Complaintas iffilLy
restated herein.
25) Defendant’s blocking of the Plaintiff from commenting, replying or messaging the
Facebook page of Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger violates the First Amendment of the United
States Constitution and Article III, § 7 of the West Virginia Constitution because it imposes a
viewpoint-based restriction on the Plaintiffs participation on a public forum ofan elected official.
26) Defendant’s blocking of the Plaintiff from commenting, replying or messaging the
Facebook page of Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger violates the First Amendment of the United
Stales Constitution and Article III, § 7 of the West Virginia Constitution because it imposes a
viewpoint-based restriction on the Plaintiffs ability to petition the government through his
delegate for the redress ofgrievances.
27) Defendanl’s blocking of the Plaintiff from commenting, replying or messaging Delegale
Jason S. Harshbarger’s Facebook page violates the First Amendment of the United States
Constitution and Article III, § 7 ofthe West Virginia Conslitution because it imposes a viewpoint
based restriction on the Plaintiffs right to free speech.
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COUNT H: Declaratory Relief
28) The Plaintiffincorporates the preceding paragraphs as though fufly set forth herein.
29) There exists ajusticiablecontroversybetween the parties regardingthe Defendant’s
violation ofthe PlaintifFs rights.
30) Plaintiffrespectfully requests, pursuant to W Va. Code §55-13-I, c/seq., the Court
invoke itsjurisdiction and declare that Defendant has no legal right to block the Plaintiff, or others
similarly situated, from commenting on the Facebook page of Delegate Harshbarger; that
Defendant’s viewpoint-based blocking ofthe Plaintifffrom the Facebook page ofDelegate Jason
S. Harshbarger to be unconstitutional; and, for an award of attorney fees to Plaintiff in such
amounts at the Court determines arejust and reasonable.
COUNT HI: Preliminary and Permanent Inlunctive Relief
31) The Plaintiffincorporates the preceding paragraphs as though fully set forth herein.
32) The Defendant has intentionally, recklessly, willfully, improperly and repeatedly
violated the Plaintiffs rights to free speech.
33) The Plaintiff is entitled to a preliminary injunction to enjoin the Defendant from
blocking Plaintiffs access to comment on the Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger Facebook page
during the pendency ofthis litigation and a permanent injunction to enjoin the Defendant from the
same in the future.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE. Windom respectfully prays that the Court:
I) Declare Defendant’s viewpoint-based blocking ofthe Plaintifffrom the Facebook page of
Delegate Jason S. Harshbarger to be unconstitutional;
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