Former Congressman Leonard Boswell has dropped his lawsuit against the man who challenged him in a 2008 Democratic primary.
In late September Boswell filed a defamation lawsuit against former state Representative Ed Fallon of Des Moines. Boswell said Fallon “told an untruth” when alleging Boswell’s staff had offered him an $80,000 job if Fallon would not run against Boswell. Boswell has issued a written statement, saying “there is little point in continuing with the litigation and having a spectacle occur to clear (his) name as (Boswell) will not be seeking elected office in the future.” Boswell said he knows the truth “and that is good enough for me at this point.”
Fallon, who raised about $4000 in contributions to pay for his legal defense, sent an email to supporters saying: “it feels good to be able to put this behind (him).” Fallon countered that “Boswell’s decision to drop the case is affirmation that (Fallon) was telling the truth.” Fallon has said his ex-wife was present when the offer of a job in Boswell’s congressional office was discussed.
Fallon urged Democrats not to vote for Boswell this past November and, instead, to write-in the name of Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie instead. Boswell lost his bid for reelection to Republican Congressman Tom Latham of Clive.