Cost of Two Lawsuits Estimated at $800K & rising BLYTHEWOOD – Last month, council voted 4-1 against releasing the MPA files that have been turned over to the town government after the lawsuit was settled. Monday night, during public comment time, resident Bobbie Young asked council members, “Why are you still covering up the $700,000 […]
Blythewood Town Council votes 3-1 to keep MPA file secret ‘indefinitely’
June 27, 2024 By
BLYTHEWOOD – After town council held an hour-long executive session Monday night to discuss whether to release to the public the files, invoices, evidence and other documents related to the 2021 MPA Freedom of Information lawsuit against the Town, Councilwoman Erica Page made the motion to not release the documents to the public. Page’s motion […]
MPA files for sanctions against Black
February 22, 2024 By
Porter: Black’s Filing Delay Cost Hunter $4,292.21 BLYTHEWOOD – An attorney for MPA Strategies marketing firm and its owner/CEO Ashley Hunter has filed a motion in Court for sanctions against The Town of Blythewood’s former outside attorney David Black, a partner in Maynard Nexsen law firm in Columbia. Attorney Paul Porter, with Cromer, Babb and […]
MPA to bring sanctions against Black
February 1, 2024 By
Court Approves Settlement; Black Withdraws BLYTHEWOOD – In a surprise turn of events during a zoom Richland County Court hearing on Thursday, Jan. 25, an attorney for marketing firm MPA Strategies told the Court his client plans to file for sanctions this week against the Town’s former outside counsel David Black, an attorney with Maynard […]
Town of Blythewood, MPA file to settle lawsuits
January 3, 2024 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The Town of Blythewood and MPA Strategies have reached a settlement. The settlement concerns MPA’s Freedom of Information lawsuit against the Town and the countersuit filed by the Town against MPA. It was signed Dec. 28, 2023 by both parties – the Town and MPA’s owner and CEO, Ashley Hunter. However, the Town’s […]
BW mayor changes course on releasing cost of MPA lawsuits to public
December 7, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Blythewood’s newly elected mayor, Sloan Griffin, III, campaigned on transparency and has long and publicly criticized former Mayor Bryan Franklin and the Town’s outside legal team for not releasing the cost of the MPA lawsuits and other MPA information to the public. During Tuesday night’s special called town council meeting, however, Griffin appears […]
Town of Blythewood not transparent with legal fees
June 29, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – Some Blythewood council members and an attorney don’t think town residents should know how much of their money is being spent on costly legal bills. On Monday night, council members voted 4-1 on second reading of the $5.06 million annual budget. Councilman Donald Brock dissented. Brock and Councilman Sloan Griffin voiced concerns about […]
Blythewood refuses to reveal MPA lawsuit costs
June 15, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – With a growing number of lawsuits flying between the Town of Blythewood, Mayor Bryan Franklin and MPA strategies, the cost for those lawsuits is also most likely growing exponentially, but no one – not even the councilmen, so they say – knows what those costs are, because the Town and Mayor Franklin refuse […]
Chronicle editor, others answer MPA lawsuit
June 8, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – The editor of the County Chronicle named in a conspiracy lawsuit along with the Town of Blythewood and its mayor is asking a judge to throw the case against her out. The Country Chronicle was previously owned by Camden Media, a partnership owned by Charles H. Morris of Savannah, Ga., and Mike Mischner […]
MPA files motion to dismiss Blythewood’s counterclaim
May 11, 2023 By
BLYTHEWOOD – According to recently filed court documents, Town leaders are using litigation to punish their former marketing firm for requesting public records through the FOIA. MPA Strategies has asked a circuit judge to grant summary judgment to dismiss eight causes of action, including fraud, civil conspiracy, negligence/gross negligence, and another misconduct. The causes of […]
