A disputed $100,000 request sparks defamation lawsuit against Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Deters files

Lawsuit filed in Kentucky

Deters filed his case Thursday in Kentucky state court, naming Guilfoyle and her legal team. The dispute follows his allegations about a request for $100,000 tied to her credit card bill and his Senate confirmation hearing.

Deters says the money was sought in exchange for assistance with the Trump administration. Guilfoyle’s team has disputed the authenticity of text messages he provided to several news outlets, including CBS News.

Disagreement over money owed

Deters said Guilfoyle’s legal team told The Wall Street Journal that he owed her money and had not met his obligations. The Journal published part of an attorney’s statement saying Guilfoyle was owed a balance for traveling to and supporting patriotic events. Deters denies owing that money. In a statement released with his lawsuit, he said Guilfoyle and her lawyers had called his allegations false and pledged to contest them, adding, “Now they can in Kentucky.”

Guilfoyle’s resignation

Guilfoyle announced Tuesday that she was resigning from her ambassadorship to Greece. Her departure came earlier this week, according to the report. CBS News said it had contacted attorneys Jesse Binnall and David M. Schwartz, who are named in the lawsuit, for comment. The report did not include a response from them.