In a striking development, a legal battle has emerged involving the Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent and a state legislator. The lawsuit, centered around accusations of defamation, highlights a deepening rift between these two influential figures in Arizona’s educational landscape.
Background of the Dispute
Superintendent Jeremy Calles of the Tolleson Union High School District has initiated legal proceedings against Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), claiming defamation and intentional interference with business relations. The controversy began when Calles facilitated a financial agreement with the Isaac School District to alleviate its budgetary challenges through a $25 million lease purchase deal.
Allegations and Reactions
Gress, who proposed a legislative alternative for the Isaac district’s financial woes, criticized the Tolleson agreement as “predatory” and allegedly illegal. In response, Calles asserted his non-involvement in financial gain from the deal. His lawsuit contends that Gress’s public remarks harmed his consulting business, leading to severed ties with several partners.
According to the complaint, “Tyler Moore, a long-time consultant affiliated with the LLC and Chief Financial Officer of Mesa Unified School District, informed Mr. Calles that his superintendent directed him to discontinue his association with the LLC following public criticism of Plaintiffs arising from Representative Gress’s statements. Mr. Moore subsequently ceased consulting through the LLC. Fountain Hills Unified School District also terminated consulting services involving the LLC during the same time period. … On information and belief, these terminations occurred as a result of Representative Gress’s public accusations that Plaintiffs engaged in illegal or corrupt conduct.”
Legal Proceedings and Statements
The lawsuit, filed after an initial notice of claim in October, seeks a jury trial and damages. Calles accuses Gress of intentionally disrupting his business operations. Gress countered these accusations, describing the lawsuit as a distraction from legislative oversight. He stated, “I look forward to the discovery process. Hopefully, we finally get access to the district’s expenditures, which we have been waiting on for months now. Either way, this meritless lawsuit won’t prevent me from doing my statutory duty to provide oversight over Arizona’s political subdivisions.”
Further fueling the dispute, Gress has been denied access to Tolleson’s financial records, demanding them without the stipulated $26,000 fee.
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