The newest member of the Newport School Board, Bert Spaulding Sr., has filed a lawsuit against fellow board member, Rhonda Callum-King, reports the Union Leader.
According to the report, Spaulding’s lawsuit alleges that Callum-King lied about having an email in response to his 91-A (Right-to-Know) request. He claims that he requested copies of all emails sent by board members concerning him back in November 2020. On November 16th, he sent an email to every member of the board seeking all emails, or other communications, regarding himself and voting.
Callum-King stated, on November 17th, that she did not have anything regarding Spaulding’s request. However, Spaulding forwarded an email to the district’s Superintendent Brendan Minnihan and Board Chair Linda Wadenstein, where Callum-King expressed concern regarding his refusal to wear a face mask in the school building for meetings. The email also called Bert Spualding Jr., Spaulding’s son, “creepy.” Spaulding Jr. was convicted in 2000 for sexually assaulting underage girls.
The attorney representing the board and Callum-King, Demetrio Aspiras, is calling for the lawsuit to be dismissed. Aspiras claims that the 91-A, “does not allow for email requests made to public bodies, as Spaulding did in making his requests to the individual board members via email.” Aspiras also states that Callum-King does not count as a public body under the law, as an individual.
The lawsuit was filed in Sullivan County Superior Court.
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