Name: A Scientist Is Suing Flint Activists For Defamation. They Say His Ego Is Out Of Control.
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A Scientist Is Suing Flint Activists For Defamation. They Say His Ego Is Out Of Control.

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But according to Edwards’ defamation suit, that letter contained “numerous false and harmful statements,” and Mays, Lambrinidou, and Schwartz have ulterior motives.“These are not people who are trying to have a conversation,” Marc Edwards told BuzzFeed News. “They are trying to damage my team with false statements.”Edwards said he decided to take legal action after Schwartz showed up at a scientific conference May 31, where his team was presenting, and distributed printed copies of the letter to the audience. Edwards’ complaint claims that the letter was also sent to elite science organizations that were considering giving grants to his students.“When you are interrupting a professional conference and attacking my students as they did … that is unprofessional,” Edwards said.Lambrinidou and Edwards collaborated on research and teaching at Virginia Tech between 2007 and 2010, and Edwards told BuzzFeed News that she had been his “best friend.” According to the lawsuit, they went their separate ways after Edwards repeatedly declined romantic advances from her. In a July 2013 email cited in the complaint, Edwards told Lambrinidou that “The bottom line for me is that I am married to the love of my life, and it is my foremost duty to draw the lines [to] protect my highest priorities, which are my family and marriage.”Lambrinidou directed questions from BuzzFeed News to her attorney, William Moran (who is representing the other two defendants as well). Moran would not answer questions about whether Lambrinidou made advances toward Edwards, but told BuzzFeed News that Edwards’ characterization of their relationship in the lawsuit was a “sick and sadistic form of gender harassment.”Moran also said that Edwards had sent Lambrinidou an email in October 2013, writing: “Just so there is no misunderstanding on one point. I have never thought or implied you were on a quest for an affair.” Edwards said he wrote the email to “placate her feelings.”Moran also claimed that Edwards had sent a necklace to Lambrinidou after she had stopped talking to him. The lawyer told BuzzFeed News: “Maybe it’s just my sensibilities, but I don’t send people who are part of a ‘concerted smear campaign’ against me gold necklaces over Christmas.” Edwards said that he had sent gifts not only to Lambrinidou but several members of the Flint study team.The suit also claimed that Flint resident Mays is financially motivated to discredit Edwards because she is part of a class-action lawsuit filed by residents who allege they were harmed by lead exposure. However, the complaint states that Edwards’ tests did not find high lead levels at Mays’ home. The suit also claims Mays incorrectly collected samples from her home and falsely stated to the media that her house had high lead levels.

But according to Edwards’ defamation suit, that letter contained “numerous false and harmful statements,” and Mays, Lambrinidou, and Schwartz have ulterior motives.“These are not people who are trying to have a conversation,” Marc Edwards told BuzzFeed News. “They are trying to damage my team with false statements.”Edwards said he decided to take legal action after Schwartz showed up at a scientific conference May 31, where his team was presenting, and distributed printed copies of the letter to the audience. Edwards’ complaint claims that the letter was also sent to elite science...

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Nidhi Subbaraman

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A Scientist Is Suing Flint Activists For Defamation. They Say His Ego Is Out Of Control.

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