U.S. House Candidate Beats Primary Rival’s Defamation Claim

Democratic congressional candidate Nyanza Moore, who had accused opponent Derrick Reed of domestic violence against his ex-wife, won her challenge to dismiss his defamation suit under the Texas’ anti-SLAPP law, a state appeals court said Thursday.

Moore and Reed were both candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary for Texas’ 22nd congressional district. The district covers most of Fort Bend and part of Brazoria and Harris counties, south of Houston.

During a Facebook Live video shortly before the primaries, Moore allegedly implied that Reed “beat women” and in another post she accused Reed of beating his ex-wife. Reed filed a defamation ...