Runoff Candidate Sues Foe for $6 Million

Council candidate Jim Serles has filed a $6-million libel suit against opponent Doug Drummond, claiming Drummond defamed him with claims that Serles struck “back room deals” and “sold his vote” while he was chairman of the city’s Planning Commission.

At issue is campaign literature circulated by Drummond before the April 10 election, which Serles was heavily favored to win. Drummond forced Serles into a June runoff.

The literature depicted a newspaper clipping saying that Serles was under investigation by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, when no such article existed, the suit said. The literature also included a photo of Serles emblazoned with the words “For Sale.”