PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — A $40,000 settlement has been reached to resolve a defamation case that accused a Pinal County elected official of spreading false information about two county employees.
Garland Shreves and Amanda Stanford, who both work in the Pinal County Attorney's Office, filed a lawsuit last summer against county officials that accused Supervisor Kevin Cavanaugh of trying to tarnish their reputations.
The elected official had suggested that Shreves and Stanford were involved in a quid pro quo sexual relationship and that Shreves was allegedly showing people inappropriate photos of Stanford on his phone.
A third-party investigation conducted by a law firm could not find evidence to support Cavanaugh's allegations. Two witnesses who Cavanaugh claimed had told him about Shreves' alleged conduct denied giving him such information, according to the investigative report.
"The investigative finding, based on the facts available to be collected, is that Mr. Cavanaugh did not have a reasonable basis for bringing these allegations forward," the report states.
Earlier this month, both parties agreed to a settlement that involved the defendants paying $40,000 and Cavanaugh issuing a public statement that "expresses regret at any harm caused to plaintiffs."
The court case was dismissed earlier this week after the settlement was signed. Cavanaugh and the county's insurance pool shall both be responsible for paying the settlement, according to the terms of the settlement.
Cavanaugh, a Republican, was elected to the board of supervisors in 2020 after unsuccessful bids for other political positions in Arizona.
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