Legal Battle Unfolds Between School Superintendent and State Lawmaker
The ongoing dispute between a West Valley school district superintendent and an Arizona state lawmaker has taken a legal turn, as allegations of defamation and interference with business have surfaced. The conflict centers around a financial agreement and accusations of misconduct.
The Tolleson Union High School District’s Superintendent, Jeremy Calles, has filed a lawsuit against Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) citing defamation. The dispute traces back to a financial arrangement made last year between Tolleson and the Isaac School District in Phoenix. Isaac, facing financial hardship, entered a lease purchase agreement with Tolleson worth $25 million to alleviate its budget crisis.
However, Gress, who was working on a legislative solution to assist Isaac, criticized the deal as “predatory” and illegal. Calles, in his lawsuit, argues that Gress’s statements were defamatory and negatively impacted his consulting business, which advises school districts. Calles noted that several third parties severed their consulting relationships with his company following Gress’s public comments.
According to the lawsuit, Calles’ consulting business suffered after Tyler Moore, a consultant and Chief Financial Officer of Mesa Unified School District, was directed to end his association due to the controversy. Additionally, Fountain Hills Unified School District terminated its consulting services with Calles’s firm. The complaint alleges that these actions were direct results of Gress’s public accusations.
“Representative Gress’s conduct was undertaken with the intent to disrupt Plaintiffs’ consulting relationships and business opportunities,” the complaint stated. Calles has requested a jury trial and is seeking damages from Gress.
Responding to the lawsuit, Gress dismissed it as a “pathetic attempt” to undermine legislative oversight. He expressed eagerness for the discovery process, stating, “Hopefully, we finally get access to the district’s expenditures, which we have been waiting on for months now. Either way, this meritless lawsuit won’t prevent me from doing my statutory duty to provide oversight over Arizona’s political subdivisions.”
Gress had previously requested financial records from the Tolleson district but declined to pay the $26,000 fee required for the release of those documents.
