Louisiana politician sues online commenters for defamation

A New Orleans area politician is suing for defamation and embarrassment caused by anonymous, online comments made on NOLA.com, TheTimes-Picayune reported.

Steve Theriot, the interim president of Jefferson Parish, which is part of the metropolitan New Orleans area, claims the comments made on the site were made with "malice and a blatant, intentional disregard for the truth."

Theriot’s legal team has issued a subpoena to NOLA.com, the website for The Times-Picayune, requesting that it reveal the identities of the 11 users named in the lawsuit.  Some of the comments in question never named Theriot specifically, but others referred to him in such terms as "thug mobster" and "arrogant moron."

Neither NOLA.com nor The Times-Picayune are named as defendants. NOLA.com has not stated whether or not it will comply with the subpoena.