GEORGETOWN — A member on the Board of Voter Registration and Elections for Georgetown County is suing a fellow board member for $2 million, according to a lawsuit filed Oct. 5.
Tracy Gibson, the plaintiff, claims Jan Lane, the defendant, used “false and defamatory” language against her at various times during monthly board meetings and “slandered the character and reputation” of her.
Gibson, who has been on the board since 2016, states in the eight-page lawsuit that she had no prior knowledge of Lane before being appointed. Lane was appointed to the board before Gibson.
Gibson makes the claim that from the beginning “for unknown and unexplained reasons,” Lane’s behavior was “frequently abrupt and disrespectful” toward her.
The lawsuit alleges that multiple times during monthly meetings when the nine-member board was conducting business, Lane “looked at her, and in an offensive tone and voice,” shouted “shut up.”
While addressing the board at a meeting on Aug. 12, Lane is alleged to have “stared” at Gibson and said, “I’m not talking to you,” in a “sharp and hostile” voice. The lawsuit also says that Gibson ignored Lane’s “harsh and disturbing” remarks without any understanding of why it was happening.
During the same Aug. 12 meeting, the lawsuit refers to a proposal that was under discussion by the board to revise and amend its by-laws. Gibson claims that Lane was “apparently” upset for Gibson's support of the measure and for “unexplained reasons,” was “verbally and violently attacked.”
It is alleged in the lawsuit that “shortly” after the Aug. 12 meeting and on many occasions later, Lane “falsely, violently, intentionally and with obvious malice said that the plaintiff was a ‘hateful bitch.’”
Gibson claims that Lane publicly made that statement around others and multiple times afterward would say, “I said it and I’m not taking it back.”
The lawsuit says that Gibson is also an employee for the city of Georgetown as a code enforcement officer. Lane is alleged to have called Gibson’s boss, Angela Rambeau, and told her that Gibson was “among other disrespectful and harmful personal things,” a “hateful bitch.”
Gibson claims the phone call was an attempt by Lane to get her fired by telling Rambeau that she was “unfit for employment.” She alleges that Lane has “caused serious, permanent, irreparable and incalculable damage” to her “character and reputation.”
This lawsuit makes the claim that Lane’s actions have “caused permanent emotional distress” to Gibson’s well-being and has “further provoked substantial mental anguish, and pain and suffering all of which is likely to be permanent.”
Gibson is asking for a jury trial and no less than $2 million to “compensate her and punish the wrong-doer for the damages and injury sustained by her at the hands of the defendant.”
Multiple attempts to reach Lane were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
An initial court date has not been scheduled.
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