This is outrageous and quite frankly…..frightening. Sam Toll is being sued by Lance Gilman for defamation. Everyone in this county should be afraid, be very afraid.

This is what control thru suppression and fear looks like.

You can read Sam’s response and the suit here.

 Sam Toll is being sued for daring to criticize Lance Gilman. How dare he!

 

Sam Toll and the Storey Teller are independent and are not under the thumb of the major players in this county. He says what no one else can. How dare he!

Sam Toll is being sued for daring to inform the residents of Storey County of what is going on in our county government and with TRI. He did not drink the Kool-Aid about how constantly rosy and wonderful things are. How dare he!

Sam Toll is being sued for daring to question the legitimacy of Lance Gilman’s residency status in Storey County. How dare he!

Sam Toll asks questions. How dare he!

Sam Toll is guilty of………….journalistic efforts on behalf of Storey County residents. Lance wants that to stop.

Lance Gilman is not only unaware of the first amendment but this demonstrates that he is thin skinned and vindictive. His only recourse with people who stand up to him in any meaningful manner is to sue them. First his suit against Sheriff Antinoro now one against Sam Toll, our lone independent online journalist.

Just exactly how does Lance think this is going to play out from a PR standpoint? It is classic BIG guy with power tries to squash little guy. BIG guy with lots of money to spend on persecuting a little guy who has none. BAD OPTICS.

How favorable to his image is this going to be when it hits the outside press? I mean, right now it’s basically contained to Storey County…..this lawsuit is gas on an ember and more eyeballs on the articles in the Teller. If I were Lance the last thing I would want is a first amendment case ,and win or lose , the negative press that comes with it.

As the biggest fish in our small pond and triple Big Man On Campus Lance is a public figure and not exempted from or immune to criticism. Specifically,  public questioning of how he can be the principal of internationally renowned TRI, the county’s sole brothel owner of the internationally renowned Mustang Ranch AND a county commissioner without conflicts of interest.  How dare ANYONE ask THAT question?

Bottom line Lance Gilman defames himself thru his own actions. 

His constant declarations of money raining down from the coffers of TRI tax revenue have failed to materialize.

His declaration that a property tax rollback/ rebate be implemented has failed to materialize.

As the sole brothel operator in Storey County and as commissioner his need for estate planning resulted in the brothel ordinance being revised just to meet his own personal needs.

He lost a high profile lawsuit and its appeal for trying to default on a loan with a partner in the brothel. His actions also brought a rebuke from the Nevada Supreme Court.

After a particularly nasty campaign he lost his well-financed attempt to recall the Storey County Sheriff.

The RGJ stated that he was asked to step down from EDAWN because they didn’t think having a brothel owner on that board represented the “ New Nevada”.

He and his Madam, created and participated in an x rated cable show about the Mustang Ranch where the girls talked about their work, what they did and how they did it. Raunchy is but one word used to describe it.

And while Lance has also been a generous benefactor to this community the constant chest beating, reminders and crowing about that largesse are tiresome to listen to. My mother taught me that the act of giving is its own reward….not the garnering of credit for it.

These are all facts and very public things that Lance has done and said…..but according to him no one is supposed to criticize his own actions and if they do they are defaming him!

Shame on you Lance, you can dish it out but you can’t take it.

Just like a common bully.

So, I hope that those of you who value Sam’s efforts on our behalf will support him in this and also remember that Lance is representative of our county leadership and remember this at the polls next November.

This is why I have as MY personal credo the following quote:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke