A judge in Califonia dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by a coalition of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation that accused the organization of defrauding the local activist groups.
Lawsuit Against Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation On Free Speech Grounds
Tuesday, California judge, Stephanie Bowick dismissed a civil lawsuit that grassroots racial justice activists from around the country that was brought last summer after hearing the arguments in the case against the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation movement’s charitable endowment worth tens of millions of dollars.
ABC News reported that the Black Lives Matter Grassroots Inc. first filed the complaint last September 1 and also named defendant Shalomya Bowers, a consultant and foundation board member as well.
The plaintiffs claimed that the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, which has lived as a clearinghouse for raising donations to support BLM over the years, has fundraised off the work of the chapters, but mismanaged the funds and had closed local chapters from decision-making.
Addressing the unjust enrichment allegation against the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the judge said she agreed with the entity’s attorneys that the plaintiff’s evidence “fails to establish and that it was entitled to any of the donated money at issue or that defendants have been enriched.”
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California JudgE Also Dismissed The Case Against Bowers
The judge also dismissed the part of the case against defendant Shalomya Bowers, finding that the plaintiff was unable to establish it has standing to obtain its claims, and therefore plaintiff fails to establish a probability of prevailing on its claims, according to CBS News.
The dismissal actions were brought under the state’s anti-SLAPP or known as Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation law, which is planned to avoid people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to discourage those who are exercising their First Amendment rights.