With support from the Coalition For Liberty, Julie Mauck, a real estate agent in Oconee County, Georgia, filed a lawsuit today in the Superior Court of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia to hold those accountable for “cancel culture” attempts to silence Julie and to prevent her from earning a livelihood as a real estate agent.
According to the complaint, in July 2023, in response to Julie’s leadership in protecting children by preventing them from having unfettered access to sexual, adult-themed books at her local public library, the Athens Pride & Queer Collective, led by Danielle Carmella Bonanno, contacted Julie’s real estate broker to request that the broker conduct a thorough investigation into Julie and “take appropriate action to address Julie Mauck’s behavior,” including sensitivity training, disciplinary action, or any other necessary measures. Athens Pride and Bonanno falsely claimed to Julie’s broker that Julie had essentially stated that all LGBTQ+ individuals are pedophiles, when she had said no such thing.
In addition, Fiona Bell a/k/a Felix Bell contacted Julie’s same real estate broker and falsely claimed that Julie had called the entire LGBTQ+ community pedophiles. Bell also filed an ethics complaint with the Georgia Association of REALTORS® making this same false allegation. As a result, Julie had to hire legal counsel to ensure that she was not wrongly punished by this association, which is an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS®, that has become vitally important to real estate agents.
Julie was initially found responsible for violating an ethics requirement, despite clear video evidence, along with many witnesses testifying on her behalf, that she never said what was alleged. Julie appealed and was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. However, the process was fraught with peril. In a desperate attempt to keep Julie “canceled” from the Georgia Association of REALTORS®, the chairperson of the initial hearing panel wildly argued at the appeal that pedophiles are a protected class of persons under the association’s ethics rules and that the truth does not matter when the truth results in hurt feelings. Fortunately, sanity prevailed, and the Association overturned the initial ruling.
However, before Julie ever had a chance to defend herself and ultimately prevail, her broker released her on the same day that he was served with a copy of the ethics complaint submitted by Fiona Bell a/k/a Felix Bell. As a result, Julie was unable to earn a livelihood as a real estate agent until she found a new broker.
After Julie found a new broker, Athens Pride and Bonanno falsely claimed to her new broker that Julie had essentially stated that all LGBTQ+ individuals are pedophiles and suggested that the Georgia Association of REALTORS® proceeding was ongoing when it had already been decided in Julie’s favor on appeal by that time.
Julie is legally entitled to make a living as a licensed real estate agent and as a REALTOR® free from disparagement that is false or misleading, or otherwise creates a likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding. Individuals or entities in Georgia that, in the course of their business, vocation, or occupation, willfully engage in falsehoods and misrepresentations to silence people and eliminate their livelihoods need to know that such “cancel culture” tactics are contrary to Georgia law and will be enjoined at a price of costs and attorney’s fees, as well as punitive damages.
Similarly, individuals or entities in Georgia that wrongfully interfere with business relationships and make false and malicious statements to injure reputations and to expose people to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule in hopes of silencing them and eliminating their livelihoods need to know that such “cancel culture” tactics are contrary to Georgia law and will be enjoined and the perpetrators will be ordered to pay damages, including punitive damages.
Having already ensured that the false charges of ethics violations were dismissed, Coalition For Liberty is now funding this lawsuit to help Julie start to rebuild her reputation, her business, and her life. Coalition For Liberty is going to go on offense to make sure that those who did these things to her are held personally and/or corporately accountable.
Julie’s case is part of a broader effort. The Coalition For Liberty is launching an all-out nationwide assault on those who engage in this vicious behavior. We will act as the Sword and Shield to protect everyday Americans from the practice of targeting people for destruction with false charges in attempts to try to silence them. No longer will people or organizations be able to engage in this behavior without severe consequences. It is only by holding people accountable for such vile actions that the practice of cancel culture will ever stop.
Without the threat of cancel culture, people will once again be empowered to say what they think. Imagine a world where people are free to engage in free speech without risking attacks by radicals bent on intimidating anyone who disagrees with them. If you wish to join us to help put an end to this sordid practice and help us pay for the costs of this lawsuit to defend Julie, and all those like her across the country, please donate to the Coalition For Liberty at DONATE (coalitionforliberty.com)
Below is a picture of Fiona Bell a/k/a Felix Bell, holding the “JOY is ALL ages!” sign at the public library meeting Julie attended regarding children’s unfettered access to sexual, adult-themed books.
