U.S. Senate candidate Charles Boustany filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against the author and publisher of a book that claims the Republican congressman paid for prostitutes who were later murdered.
Boustany’s suit states “Murder in the Bayou” author Ethan Brown and publisher Simon & Schuster printed the book last month despite knowing its claims “were known to be false when made or were made with malicious intent and reckless disregard for the truth.” The Louisiana congressman said the allegations in the book are “despicable lies.”
Only one chapter of the book discusses Boustany’s involvement with some of the eight prostitutes in Jefferson Davis Parish. The author cites various anonymous sources and adds the lawmaker was not involved in the deaths of some of the women.
Boustany is currently vying for David Vitter’s Senate seat in the November election. He is running against two dozen candidates and as of last month, was in the lead. The lawsuit defines its purpose as defending the “integrity and the honor of his family,” according to Boustany’s lawyer Jimmy Faircloth.
“The law does not allow someone to slander another person to sell books, not even public officials. Mr. Brown either made up the story or he’s peddling political garbage that he knew or should have known is false,” Faircloth said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Boustany is seeking an injunction against further publication and the cost of damages.
