By Tom Weber, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt is calling a lawsuit filed against him by a former opponent a desperate publicity stunt.
Republican Bill Federer filed the lawsuit today over an incident that occurred in 2000. Gephardt had sued Federer, saying the Republican accosted one of Gephardt's campaign workers who was vidoetaping a parade. Federer was found innocent of the charges and now wants Gephardt to pay him the money it cost to defend himself.
A statement from Gephardt's attorney calls Federer's lawsuit frivoulous and an abuse of the judicial system.