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Yes.
Wisconsin state Sen. Cory Tomczyk appealed in June 2023 the dismissal of his defamation lawsuit against the Wausau Pilot & Review, a nonprofit newsroom.
The appeal was pending as of Sept. 5.
Here’s the chronology:
August 2021: The Pilot & Review reported that Tomczyk, a businessman and former local school board member, was overheard at a Marathon County Executive Committee meeting calling a 13-year-old boy who spoke at the meeting a “fag.”
November 2021: Tomczyk sued, denying he used the slur at the meeting.
November 2022: Tomczyk was elected to the Senate, representing parts of the Wausau area.
April 2023: Marathon County Circuit Judge Scott Corbett dismissed the lawsuit, ruling Tomczyk was a public figure and had not proved actual malice by the Pilot & Review.
The lawsuit has cost the newsroom $150,000 in legal bills and threatens to put it out of business, its publisher said in August.
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Sources
Wisconsin Court System: WSCCA Case History Cory Tomczyk v. Wausau Pilot and Review Corporation
Google Docs: Marathon County Case Number 2021CV000625 Cory Tomczyk et al vs. Wausau Pilot and Review Corporation et al
GuideStar: Wausau Pilot and Review Corporation
Wausau Pilot & Review: Threats against elected officials marked heated debate on ‘Community for All’ resolution
New York Times: Report on Anti-Gay Slur Could Put Local News Site Out of Business
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