Al Bulay, the owner of Lyceum Cinemas in Red Hook, Roosevelt Cinemas in Hyde Park, New Paltz Cinemas, Star Theater of St. Johnsbury (Vt.) and Bennington Cinemas (Vt.), has publicly claimed that I have defamed him and that he plans to sue me. He is also saying I somehow impersonated his businesses.

I have done nothing of the sort. All I did was collect and share opinions from members of our community about Bulay and his businesses (see links at www.bulaylawsuit.com) that have been publicly circulating on Facebook for years. And the idea that a website that solely contains opinions critical of a business and is clearly labeled with large text suggesting a “Boycott” could be impersonating a business is absurd.

I did this so community members could make an informed decision about where and with whom they do business. We were simply exercising our first amendment rights.

I have always and will continue to stand with members of the LGBT community, the Jewish community, persons of color, and others when they courageously stand up against hate or injustice.

This frivolous lawsuit is simply an attempt to bully and harass me for supporting those who spoke out.

Bulay has used his business to attack Democratic officials and support Republican causes. This is just more of the same.

“At the end of the day, I’m confident that the court will find that Mr. Bulay’s lawsuit is a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) and runs afoul of the anti-SLAPP law,” said Michael Treybich of Treybich Law, P.C.

Visit www.bulaylawsuit.com to read more about Al Bulay and his ridiculous lawsuit.