A lawsuit brought by a former county commissioner in North Carolina against his political opponents has been thrown out.
In June of last year, Craig Travis made claims via a legal document that his political opponents initiated a smear campaign to undermine his reelection efforts. Travis was a member of the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners from 2011 until December 2022.
Last year, he tried to make a political comeback but lost in the March Republican primary to incumbents Jeff Kallam, Mark Richardson, and Kevin Berger.
In his June 2024 lawsuit submitted to North Carolina’s Superior Court, Travis claimed that Berger, Richardson, Commissioner Donald Power, Rockingham County GOP Chair Diane Parnell, the North Carolina Conservatives Fund, GOPAC, and Atlas Political Consulting all conspired to prevent him from placing in the top three of the 2024 GOP primary, thereby hindering his chances to appear on the November ballot where Republicans dominate in the predominantly red county.
Travis’ allegation asserted that the listed defendants had arranged a secret agreement with Baltimore casino developer The Cordish Companies to establish a Las Vegas-style resort in Rockingham. Travis, claiming he disagreed with the effort to introduce slot machines and table games in the rural county, asserted that he was sidelined by his political peers and that they sought to damage his reputation.
Travis' legal action sought damages exceeding $100,000. The lawsuit asserted that Berger and the casino lobbyists conspired to create a political campaign against him featuring deceptive statements and untruths.
"The false statements made about Mr. Travis in the false attack ads, Facebook posts, email, and other communications constitute more than the mere vituperation and name calling that is characteristic of political campaigns and protected by the First Amendment,” the lawsuit read. “These false statements were made with actual malice and intended to harm Mr. Travis’ reputation in Rockingham County by lowering Mr. Travis in the estimation of potential voters in the 2024 Board of Commissioners election and deterring others from supporting his campaign.”
On Friday of last week, Judge Hoyt Tessener from the Superior Court dismissed the case. Tessener indicated that Travis did not present a legitimate claim for him to decide and that the court lacked authority over at least one defendant.
Even though Travis failed to reclaim his county position, the commissioners in favor of casinos did not succeed. Once the public learned that Berger’s father, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), was responsible for the legislation approving casinos in Rockingham, Anson, and Nash counties, lawmakers in Raleigh eliminated the gaming provision that the Senate leader had sought to add to the 2023-25 budget bill.
Berger has since softened his backing for utilizing casinos to stimulate rural economies. In February, Berger acknowledged that commercial casino gambling isn’t “something that will emerge” in the near future.
Residents of North Carolina will soon have additional choices for tribal slots and table games. The Catawba Indian Tribe anticipates finishing its permanent casino resort — Two Kings Casino Resort — about 35 miles west of Charlotte early next year. The venue will feature 4,300 slots, 100 table games, five dining establishments, six bars, and a hotel with 400 rooms.
