Statement of Christopher Cox at nomination hearing to be Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on lawsuit from Werner Erhard & Associates



Background of Werner Erhard and Associates v. Christopher Cox for Congress

HON. CHRISTOPHER COX

OF CALIFORNIA IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE

July 26, 2005

1. Give the full details of any civil or criminal proceeding in which you were a defendant or any inquiry or investigation by a Federal, State, or local agency in which you were the subject of the inquiry or investigation.

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Werner Erhard & Assoc. v. Congressman Christopher Cox, filed in Orange County Superior Court in 1988, was a civil suit for defamation brought against me and other defendants in 1988 by the brother of an opposing candidate in the 1988 congressional election. The suit charged that by republishing an article from Los Angeles magazine, my campaign mailer defamed the EST organization and its founder, Werner Erhard (the opposing candidate's brother and employer). Following protracted discovery the case was dismissed with prejudice in 1992; I and the plaintiff executed a mutual release of claims. No settlement monies were paid.

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