An Oregon rafter has sued a jetboater and others for publicizing a video of a nude rafting party, claiming the film has damaged his reputation.
Ric Bailey of Joseph, Ore., executive director of the Hells Canyon Preservation Council, announced he was filing the lawsuit for defamation of character in the latest step in a long-running battle between Bailey and Boise jetboater Dennis Gratton.Gratton shot the video of the party at the Salt Creek campsite from another beachside campsite in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in August 1991.
Gratton's video shows some members of a rafting party bathing in the nude and urinating in the river. Gratton says Bailey was a member of the party.
Bailey contends his reputation was damaged by Gratton and others who distributed or reported on the video.
"When people think you're a moral degenerate, your ability to discuss natural resources issues is compromised, to say the least," Bailey said.
The lawsuit names Gratton, David Shriner of Joseph, Ore., who allegedly distributed the tape, and the Wallowa County Chieftain newspaper and its editor, Rick Swart, Bailey said.
Bailey said Friday that his attorney, John Kolego of Eugene, Ore., mailed the lawsuit documents to the court on Wednesday by Express Mail.
Previously, Bailey and Gratton had sparred as members of a Hells Canyon NRA planning task force about jet boat use in the canyon.
Gratton said he took the video of the rafting party to document questionable acts that infringed on his enjoyment of the area. He asked the Forest Service and Idaho Outfitters and Guides Board to review the video to determine if the party had broken any regulations.
Gratton said he filmed the video to document the other party's rude behavior, not to discredit Bailey.
"I think it's unfortunate. The adverse publicity Bailey got over this was not from me," he said, adding he only responded to media inquiries about the incident.
"Nothing I did was to attack Bailey or misrepresent him in any way," Gratton said.
Bailey's lawyer said his reputation had been threatened.
"This is a clear case of Bailey's political opponents manufacturing information in an attempt to destroy his reputation and career," Kolego said.
Shriner, a sawmill manager at Joseph, is named because he distributed the tape, Bailey said. Shriner declined comment.
Bailey said he was suing Swart because he "gave the incident extensive and repeated coverage."
Phone calls to the Chieftain newspaper Saturday went unanswered.