Kent Gray files libel complaint against state Rep. Tim Butler after text messages

The opponent of state Rep. Tim Butler in next week's Republican primary in the new 95th House District filed a libel complaint against Butler Tuesday in Sangamon County Circuit Court.

Kent Gray, a local attorney, former state director for former President Donald Trump and an official in Trump's administration, alleges in the complaint that Butler's campaign sent text messages to thousands of voters in Sangamon, Christian and Macon counties accusing Gray of having more than $30,000 in unpaid child support.

The complaint said Butler's campaign referred specifically to Gray in the message and hurt his reputation through the text messages. In addition, it also alleges that Butler's campaign had knowledge the statements in question were false.

Gray said that while he did not have $30,000 in child support payments due, he had paid more than $200,000 in child support over a nine-year period to his ex-wife.

"It violates state and federal law on campaign disclosure and text messaging sender disclosure by the FEC and the State Board of Elections," Gray said.

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Butler did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but a spokesperson for the House Republican Majority, the campaign arm of Illinois House Republicans, said the complaint is an attempt by Gray to pull whatever lever he can to try to turn the tide of his campaign prior to Election Day.

"It's no surprise serial-litigant and failed candidate Kent Gray is filing even more last-minute lawsuits, grasping at straws in the final days before yet another rejection from voters," said Dan Pelphrey, the HRM's communications director.

Gray said in a statement that while he is a candidate for public office, he felt that the statements in the message were "out of bounds."

"Instead of focusing on the issues, my opponent appears to be spreading false information about my personal life," Gray said. "What my opponent is doing is illegal and it needs to stop."

Gray, a longtime Republican operative, had been Trump's Illinois and Missouri director in the 2016 Republican primary, but had been removed from the campaign after it was reported he had done very little work to organize volunteers.

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Gray has made several unsuccessful runs for office in the past, having run for the 15th Congressional District in 2020 before dropping out, losing in a primary to Sara Wojcicki Jimenez in the 99th House District in 2016 and losing in a primary to John Madonia for a seat on the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court in 2014.

He served on the Lincoln Land Community College board for 18 years before being defeated in 2017.

Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Kent Gray files libel complaint against Illinois state Rep. Butler