EASTON, Pa. — Easton City Councilwoman Taiba Sultana has filed a defamation lawsuit against PA Citizens PAC, a release from Sultana’s attorney announced Thursday.
In a release issued by attorney Matthew Mobilio, accusations focus on yard signs created by the political action committee that referred to Sultana as “chaotic, criminal and crazy,” in addition to referencing several social media posts.
The PAC is chaired by local attorney Raymond Lahoud, Mobilio's statement reads.
The Facebook posts allegedly released by the PAC refer to Sultana as antisemitic and a Holocaust denier, among other things.
According to Mobilio’s release, Sultana lost her state House election campaign due to the accusations, and suffered numerous threatening messages referring to her as a terrorist who should leave the country.
“This was not politics as usual. These statements were not only false, but clearly malicious given the severity and numerosity of the allegations, and their personal, as opposed to political, nature,” Mobilio said.
The civil complaint alleges that around the beginning of April 2024, the PAC, with Lahoud listed as the sole funder, was formed with an intent to harm Sultana’s political campaign for the 136th District.
Yard signs allegedly issued by the PAC included statements reading “VOTE NO TAIBA SULTANA. CRAZY. CHAOTIC. CRIMINAL.”
Facebook entries from the PAC’s account referred to Sultana as “lying about the police”, “trying to create animosity between the citizens and the police,” along with allegations that she “beat her kid while on city council”, failed to “maintain her property”, “misses meetings”, had “an unpaid state tax lien” and was a “complete nutcase”.
Further entries alleged Sultana was “antisemitic,” a Holocaust denier, that she was “stalking” another person, and that she was a “bully.” Supporters on the page accused Sultana as being part of Hamas, accused her of being a terrorist, and demanded “move back to your country.”
Lahoud is a partner at Norris McLaughlin in Allentown where he chairs their immigration practice. LehighValleyNews.com has reached out to Lahoud for comment.
Mobilio’s court document states “These statements constitute factual assertions and no opinion as they can be proven to be true or false through objective evidence.”
The court filings list a count of defamation, detailing slander and libel, and a count of invasion of privacy.
Mobilio’s filing demands unspecified monetary damages for Sultana “as a result of the loss of reputation,” in addition to calling for Lahoud to cover Sultana’s attorneys’ fees and expenses, punitive damages, and any other relief the court deems necessary for both counts.
The PAC's signs and online posts appear to reference legal issues Sultana experienced in 2023.
Sultana was arrested in July 2023 following accusations from her then 19-year-old son that she had slapped, punched and head-butted him, and had previously been violent with him to the point of requiring medical attention.
She was charged with two counts of simple assault and harassment and spent a night in Northampton County Prison. In March 2024, Sultana was approved to enter a special program that would enable her record to be expunged upon successful completion.
Despite accusations of fraud linked to “questionable signatures” on her nominating petition, Sultana did make the ballot, ultimately losing to longstanding Democrat Rep. Bob Freeman in the primary for the 136th District.
