|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The mistress of U.S. congressman William Timmons claims racy photos of her which have been making the rounds in Greenville, South Carolina for several months were “stolen.” Furthermore, she indicated she is preparing a federal lawsuit against this news outlet and others related to their dissemination.
Heavily blurred and redacted versions of two of these aforementioned images – which reportedly number in the hundreds – appeared in an article last week detailing the latest developments in Timmons’ ongoing saga with his mistress, Paula Dhier.
As this news outlet previously reported, Dhier has been accused of using the name and email address of a former employee to send “salacious” messages to multiple recipients – messages which included “nude photos of herself.”
The existence of these images was first reported by this news outlet in May of this year. The former employee in question – Ann Stewart Hickerson – was reportedly on the brink of filing a lawsuit against Dhier until Timmons allegedly intervened. According to our sources, attorneys for Dhier and Hickerson have been in negotiations ever since our story on these photos was first published. It is not immediately clear why Dhier sent these images using an email linked to a former employee – or exactly how many men she sent them to – but she is now pushing back hard against their release.
***
In an email copied to this news outlet’s top lawyer, former U.S. attorney Pete Strom, Dhier instructed FITSNews founding editor to “delete any such photos in your possession immediately.”
“These photos have been stolen and it is a violation of federal law to publish or share them,” Dhier wrote. “My attorney will file suit in federal court should you publish any photo. We will have a federal judge order you to take them down and I will recover (damages) to the fullest extent allowable under the law.”
As noted in our prior coverage, Dhier is represented by powerful S.C. House ways and means chairman Bruce Bannister – who exerts tremendous influence over the selection of judges in the Palmetto State. In other words, this is no idle threat. Adding to its potency? Reports that Timmons – a multi-millionaire from one of Greenville’s wealthiest, most prominent families – is reportedly subsidizing Bannister’s representation of Dhier in a caustic custody dispute with her estranged husband, Upstate real estate developer Ron Rallis.
(Click to View)
(Advertisement)
In her letter to this news outlet, Dhier left no doubt she believed Rallis was the original source of the leaked photos.
“My family court case is sealed and protected,” Dhier wrote in her letter to this media outlet. “My estranged husband, Ron Rallis, is specifically prohibited from engaging with any media or public outlet or supplying documents that were only given to him. In this case, the photos that are now in your possession. He has previously been sentenced to jail for ninety days for contempt of court for previous violations of court orders.”
Rallis served ninety days on a contempt charge earlier this year. To our knowledge, he has not commented publicly on the case since his release. His lawyer/ lover – Erika Baldwin – has repeatedly declined to respond to our requests for comment regarding the photos.
***
RELATED | DAYS OF OUR CONGRESSMAN
***
In response to Dhier’s threat of legal action, FITSNews issued the following statement:
Paula Dhier took little care in safeguarding her modesty, but FITSNews took considerable care in redacting the materials we were provided – materials which, incidentally, are tied to a suspicious death investigation in Mexico and a case of potential identity theft involving Dhier in South Carolina. Our news outlet’s reputation for protecting its sources is widely known – and well-established in South Carolina case law. We welcome any legal action which affords us another opportunity to showcase our editorial processes for the public – while at the same time shedding further light on these two important cases.
Oh, I should add we also very much welcome the opportunity to dig deeper into Timmons’ conduct in connection with multiple facets of his mistress’ various extracurriculars – and other extracurriculars of his own.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to proactively address? We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
3 comments
This two-bit dame wouldnt be out of place in a Turkish brothel
Ms. Dhier is entitled to whatever protections and/or legal representation is available to any citizen – a given. She has demonstrated her choices in those matters – a matter of public record. Same goes for Mssrs. Rallis and Timmons.
What NONE of them has demonstrated is much (if any) care/concern for the only True Innocent in this entire mess.
Reminds me of all the other people who put every minute of their life on social media (with little to no clothes), but flip out about not having privacy. Best advice is not to send your tidbits to a boyfriend because all it takes is a breakup or dispute to have your stuff exposed. Rich folks in South Carolina act so crazy; it amazes me. If wealth and craziness is a package deal, I will stay poor.