The journalist who wrote articles suggesting a Hanover County supervisor was interfering with county schools stood by his reporting on the third day of a defamation trial Tuesday.
Peter Galuszka told jurors he believed everything he reported in two articles that appeared in 2015 in Style Weekly and one published in the Washington Post suggesting Supervisor Sean Davis was improperly using his position on the Board of Supervisors to influence Hanover schools. Davis has sued Galuszka and Style Weekly over claims the articles defamed him and is seeking at least $1.35 million in damages.
Davis’ attorney Steven Biss peppered Galuszka, who no longer is employed by Style Weekly, with questions about the reliability of his sources and reporting methods.
Biss’ questions focused on whether Galuszka thought what he was reporting about Davis wasn’t true and on whether three of Galuszka’s sources — Ragan Phillips, Cathy Easter and Catherine Lee — were biased against Davis or had “first-hand knowledge” of the events they told Galuszka about.
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“How did you connect Sean Davis to any of this?” Biss asked Galuszka.
Galuszka said that Davis’ name and his alleged involvement in School Board matters kept coming up in his reporting. Galuszka felt he had a responsibility to look into the allegations because it was in the public interest.
“I didn’t make anything up, Mr. Biss,” Galuszka said, adding he used eight sources for his reporting on Davis. “I did considerable research.”
Public officials claiming defamation typically must prove a publication printed false material and in doing so acted with “actual malice,” which would mean knowingly publishing false information or acting with reckless disregard for the facts.
Easter sent a message to the attorney general of Virginia calling for an investigation into Davis’ alleged influence on the School Board. Galuszka said confirming with the attorney general’s office that it had received Easter’s message was an act of following up.
Galuszka, a journalist of more than 40 years, said he has been on the receiving end of many strange letters but Easter’s message to the attorney general struck him as coherent and intelligent. Questioned by Biss, Galuszka said he had no knowledge that any of Easter’s allegations were investigated by the attorney general’s office.
Galuszka’s attorney, Conrad Shumadine, dealt with how the journalist believed what he reported and felt his sources were credible during cross-examination.
“I am confident that what we wrote is correct,” Galuszka said.
Galuszka said he gave Davis ample opportunity to participate in the story and that the school division declined to comment for the story. Galuszka sent Davis an email with 12 questions about the findings of his reporting. Davis responded with a statement and copied the entire School Board on the email. Galuszka characterized Davis’ response to his questions as “vague denial.”
“I thought it was essential to talk to him,” Galuszka said. “I wanted to hear what he had to say.”
Hanover School Board members Marla Coleman, Norman Sulser and Robert Hundley testified that Davis had never tried to influence them. Coleman was appointed to the School Board by Davis.
At one point, Biss questioned Galuszka about accusations against Davis being posted in the comments section of Style Weekly’s website. Galuszka said he wasn’t responsible for how people reacted to the story and that he had reported what people told him.
“I didn’t accuse Sean Davis of anything,” Galuszka said.
Biss rested Davis’ case on Tuesday. The defense will begin making its case on Wednesday, with the conclusion of the trial expected Friday.