Haglund Appeals Defamation Suit Against Sawant

SEATTLE, WA - A federal judge recently dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by a Seattle landlord against Councilwoman Kshama Sawant. But landlord Carl Haglund has filed an appeal asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to take a second look at the case, according to court records.

Haglund's suit ended in early June following the dismissal of several of his defamation claims. Haglund accused Sawant of defaming him when, in fall 2015, she allegedly distributed a flier with a picture of a rat with the name-tag "Carl Haglund" and the caption "Slumlord!"

That was the beginning of a series of actions that Haglund claimed defamed him and his business. Sawant later advocated for a law that would ban rent increases for buildings that have code violations, which was referred to as "the Carl Haglund law" (the law passed in 2016). As part of the case, scores of Haglund tenants submitted declarations attesting to slum-like conditions in Haglund's properties.

One former tenant, Sherrard Ewing, wrote in a declaration that he experienced multiple water leaks in his apartment, and had trouble getting them repaired. During one leak, Ewing said repairmen tore his apartment apart, leaving the place smelling like an open sewer. After Ewing left the apartment, he wrote a negative Yelp review about his experience in the apartment - and Haglund later sued him for defamation.

In a June 4 filing, Haglund through his attorneys agreed to drop the suit, with each party paying their own fees. The filing pointed out that Haglund would be free to appeal the case, however.

Haglund had originally sued for $25 million. Through June, the case cost Seattle about $260,000 to defend, according to the Seattle Times.

New proceedings in Haglund's appeal are tentatively scheduled to begin in August.

Image via city of Seattle