Lawsuit filed by owner of Continental Commons
A former member of the Fishkill Town Board is asking a state judge to dismiss a lawsuit in which she is accused of defaming the owner of Continental Commons, a planned hotel and shopping development on Route 9.
In a motion filed May 8, Louise Daniele denies that statements she made at a Town Board meeting on Dec. 20, 2023, defamed the developer, Domenico Broccoli. During the meeting, she said that Board Member John Forman should recuse himself from votes involving Continental Commons because he rented office space from Broccoli’s cousin and the developer donated to his 2012 state Assembly campaign.
Broccoli sued in March, alleging that Daniele’s statements caused him “reputational harm, substantial emotional distress and humiliation and damage to his key business relationship.”
Daniele’s attorney responded that, even if the statements were defamatory, state law protects speech by elected officials and that the statements were about Forman, not Broccoli. She also said that Broccoli failed to first file a notice of claim with the town and has not proven that the statements harmed his business relationships.
