Dear MoveOn member,

MoveOn is being sued by an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump who paid
for and organized three busloads of people to go to Washington, D.C., on
January 6.

The man, Jim Worthington, has been in the news a lot in the last year
because he defied Pennsylvania's coronavirus closure orders and in June
2020 reopened his 250,000-square-foot athletic club in suburban
Philadelphia, placing staff and gym members at risk of catching or
spreading the virus.^1,2 In December, he again defied the state's
coronavirus shutdown order.^3

And now, Worthington has sued MoveOn in response to a petition created by
a local MoveOn member. The petition called on area schools and community
organizations to drop their partnerships with Worthington's club in the
aftermath of the January 6 insurrection.^4

This Trump backer is demanding what could be hundreds of thousands of
dollars in damages, claiming that the petition was "malicious and
defamatory."



John, will you chip in $5 a month to help defray
our legal costs and fight back for as long as it takes to win?

[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.



Worthington has long been a vocal supporter of Trump. Trump even held one
of his infamous rallies at Worthington's business, Newtown Athletic Club,
in 2016.^5

Worthington helped form a political advocacy group called People 4 Trump,
and after Trump lost the 2020 election, Worthington's group sponsored and
organized 200 people to go to Washington, D.C., on January 6.^6,7
Afterward, Worthington even boasted that he "was just feet from Trump
during his speech" in which Trump incited his supporters to try to
overthrow the U.S. government, saying, “If you don't fight like hell,
you're not going to have a country anymore."^8

To be clear: This lawsuit has no merit. But we will incur significant
legal costs, even if it's tossed out of court.



Will you chip in $5 a month to help defray our legal costs,
fight back, and make sure we have the resources to keep fighting for as
long as it takes to win?

[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in monthly.

[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.



Thanks for all you do.

–Robert, Kate, Oscar, Jenn, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Bucks County gym owner files defamation lawsuit over petition alleging
his involvement in the Capitol insurrection," The Philadelphia Inquirer,
April 22, 2021
[link removed]

2. "Club Facilities," Newtown Athletic Club, accessed June 3, 2021
[link removed]

3. "Bucks County gym owner files defamation lawsuit over petition alleging
his involvement in the Capitol insurrection," The Philadelphia Inquirer,
April 22, 2021
[link removed]

4. Ibid.

5. "Trump, Sex, and G-Strings: The Juicy Story Behind Newtown Athletic
Club," Philadelphia, June 6, 2019
[link removed]

6. "Bucks County gym owner files defamation lawsuit over petition alleging
his involvement in the Capitol insurrection," The Philadelphia Inquirer,
April 22, 2021
[link removed]

7. Ibid.

8. "NAC's Jim Worthington Files Defamation Lawsuit Against MoveOn.org,"
The Dom Giordano Program, April 23, 2021
[link removed]

 



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Will you chip in to fuel the fight to end the racist and undemocratic
filibuster?





[ [link removed] ]Yes, I'll chip in $5 a month.

[ [link removed] ]No, I'm sorry, I can't make a monthly donation.





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