(The Center Square) — Caddo Parish Commissioner Chris Kracman was served with a defamation lawsuit from James Silvio, Karim Merchant, Rajan Khadka and Edgemont Holdings, LLC, months after the debate ended for a tax increase at the Hosston TA Truck Stop.
According to the lawsuit, Silvio and others are suing the District 1 commissioner for alleged defamatory statements made about Silvio, Merchant, Rhadka and Edgemont Holdings, LLC., during a KEEL Radio broadcast and on Kracman’s personal Facebook page.
In March, The Center Square reported on the 2% sales tax increase that had the Caddo Commission, Hosston Mayor Kim Jaynes, and developer Silvio engaged in public debate before the commission ultimately voted to pass the sales tax at the travel stop in April.
Edmont Holdings, LLC., invested $12 million to buy and build the truck stop in 2020. The 2% sales tax increase was to pay for a $1.8 million portion of this investment.
Kracman opposed the sales tax from the outset, and after the truck stop was raided by ICE, Kracman spoke with The Center Square about his concerns.
“I’m not gonna be for a tax hike anyway, as it is, because there’s already a 10% tax up there. So, originally, I was against it just on principle. But, now that we are getting into the weeds of this thing, there are several legitimate holes in this whole thing,” said Kracman.
The suit claims Kracman contacted government officials and media outlets, advising that Silvio and the others were violating federal immigration laws.
According to the report, Silvio, Merchant, and Rhadka have suffered damage because of the alleged defamatory statements.
The Center Square reached out to Kracman for a statement regarding the lawsuit, but did not receive a response before publication.
