SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) target individuals complaining during public meetings, in appeals and letters to the editor about land uses and plans, potential developments and bureaucratic abuses.
SLAPPs are baseless lawsuits designed to subvert democracy and erode America's constitutional rights to fair comment and criticism. Only 10 states have antiSLAPP laws.
Corporations and special-interest groups get tax write-offs for their court and legal expenses in bringing Mickey Mouse suits alleging slander and defamation of character. Average citizens--the targets--do not.
Usually groundless, SLAPPs take years to litigate, can't easily be dismissed and end up costing thousands of dollars to defend. Most SLAPPs are defeated, but their victims are effectively silenced.
Slap the SLAPPs with punishing legislation.(25 MARCH 2001)
