PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A worker at a Montgomery County golf course has filed a defamation suit against state Sen. Anthony Williams, stemming from a fight at a golf club last fall.
Although he was not accused of any wrongdoing in the fight, Williams is now named in the suit for allegedly making up a story, claiming the attendant used a racial slur before punches were thrown.
Williams was golfing at The Club at Shannondell in Audubon in November of last year, along with his aide and cousin, Jonathan Williams, and Timothy Greene.
On Nov. 10, 2020, they were reportedly upset with the pace of play on the course and demanded a refund from attendant Hunter Wagner, which he denied. In video footage from the pro shop, Anthony Williams walks out, clearly angry, as he gives the middle finger to Wagner.
Jonathan Williams keeps arguing with Wagner and eventually punches him about a dozen times.
Wagner “required medical treatment” for his injuries, the suit says.
After the story aired on KYW Newsradio and other news outlets in July, Anthony Williams gave interviews saying Wagner used a racial slur toward them.
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However, a suit filed Tuesday in Montgomery County accuses him of making up that story because, as the suit claims, he was concerned about bad press related to the incident.
The suit points out that Anthony Williams, through his role as a leader in the Pennsylvania Senate, used his channels to reach out to some of the largest media outlets in the country to attack a golf course employee.
Wagner’s lawyer, Nathan Schadler, said Wagner denies ever using a slur. Schadler also questions Anthony Williams’ timing. If such a comment was ever made, Schadler asked, why wasn’t it brought up to police who were investigating the fight, or during multiple civil and criminal hearings regarding the incident?
“It wasn’t until every major station was airing this story and it was getting very negative press that this story then came out,” he said.
The suit accuses Anthony Williams and Greene of defamation, injurious falsehood, invasion of privacy/false light, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The suit is seeking monetary damages.
“Anywhere you look, my client’s name will forever be linked with the accusation by a powerful senator that he is a racist,” said Schadler. “There is nothing you can give this man that is going to erase that.”
After the fistfight, Jonathan Williams was charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment. Anthony Williams told KYW in July that Jonathan Williams had not been disciplined over the incident, in part because it is unrelated to his job.
Anthony Williams, who represents parts of Philadelphia and Delaware County, said he needs to review the suit with his attorney before he can make a formal comment, but he told KYW:
“I will say for the record, I’m never known to lie. That’s all I can say. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a liar.”