JUDGE RULES IN DR. BARBARA SHARIEF'S FAVOR TO PROCEED TO TRIAL WITH HER CLAIM THAT SENATOR LAUREN BOOK MALICIOUSLY SLANDERED HER WITH STATEMENTS THAT BOOK KNEW WERE FALSE

DAVIE, Fla., July 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Broward County Mayor Dr. Barbara Sharief won another landmark victory and is one step closer to ultimate justice at trial for the alleged slander that she received by Lauren Book and her campaign. The Court ruled last night that Dr. Sharief had presented sufficient evidence to proceed to trial where she will be seeking over one million dollars in damages against Book and her campaign team for making false and untrue accusations that Sharief committed Medicaid fraud, among other falsehoods.

Judge Shari Africk Olefson stated as follows:

"That sufficient unrebutted evidence is reflected in the record, including but not limited to for a reasonable jury or trier of fact to conclude that Defendant (LAUREN BOOK) made and published to third parties, false information which was intended to harm Plaintiff in the context of an election campaign, and did harm Plaintiff."

The Court once again rejected Senator Book's relentless efforts to have the defamation lawsuit thrown out of court. This latest ruling was after the Court reviewed the under-oath depositions of Book and her campaign manager. The case will now head to a jury.

Expressing her stance, Dr. Sharief emphasized, "I am extremely proud that I have stood up for myself and every person who cares about truth and honesty in public discourse. No citizen should be victimized by the type of lies and politics of personal destruction and bullying exhibited Lauren Book and her campaign when they disseminated knowingly false information that harmed my family and my reputation." 

Dr. Sharief's attorney Michael Pizzi said about the Judge's decision to move the case forward to trial. "We look forward to heading to trial and obtaining an ultimate victory in Court that will send a powerful message that the truth matters in politics and that hard-working self-made public servants like Dr. Barbara Sharief cannot be the subject of defamatory statements. "

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SOURCE Sharief For Florida

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