He huffs and puffs

This has to be a first in Alpena Public School history. Eric Lawson, Alpena Public School Board President, has tried almost everything imaginable to discourage public input at school board meetings and now has most certainly taken an unprecedented step. In an attempt to intimidate the public and suppress feedback, Lawson is advising those addressing the board to seek legal counsel prior to speaking at board meetings to avoid a defamation lawsuit, suggesting he might sue people for the statements they make to the board. To be clear, this is an elected official threatening his constituency.

This is what is important for the public to know. To win a defamation case, an elected official MUST prove all of the following elements to be true:

1. False statement of fact: The statement must be obj