Former GOP Staff Chief Sues Tennessee Party - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Attorneys for a former Tennessee Republican Party chief of staff have included the party as a defendant in a lawsuit.

Mark Winslow earlier filed suit against U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and consultant Chip Saltsman, claiming he was defamed in a television political ad that aired shortly before the 2010 primary election. The ad claimed then-candidate Robin Smith paid "lavish bonuses" to staff when she was head of the state party.

Smith lost to Fleischmann by 1,415 votes.

Winslow contends the party agreed that a severance payment to him after Smith stepped down in 2009 to seek office was confidential.

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