BOISE, Idaho — Gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy and associate Diego Rodriguez have avoided a lawsuit from St. Luke’s Health System that came after a child health and welfare case prompted massive outcry from Bundy’s followers, leading to protests and lockdowns.
Now, St. Luke’s and their lawyers are taking more action to get Bundy and Rodriguez to reply. Rodriguez may no longer reside in Idaho and cannot be found, and Bundy hasn’t filed a response at all, according to motion documents filed by St. Luke’s and their representatives.
St. Luke’s filed a motion on June 24 to sanction the defendants after their summons and requests for discovery went unanswered past the 14-day deadline from both men, first reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. Bundy was served May 12.
Attorney Erik Stidham requested the two provide information about their campaigns and their supporters, including those who were making the alleged false statements, but received nothing.
After the silence, St. Luke’s encouraged the court to require Bundy to sit for a deposition or hold him in contempt.
“Bundy’s deceptive actions continue to harm plaintiffs by prolonging the time in which defendants’ defamatory statements remain publicly accessible and by forcing plaintiffs to spend unnecessary time and money to bring and prosecute this lawsuit,” a memorandum said.
The lawsuit filed in May of this year accused the Bundy, Rodriguez and their political organizations of a "coordinated campaign of harassment and intimidation" that caused the hospital to go into lockdown after multiple protests, forcing ambulances to divert from the area and keeping doctors, nurses, and other employees from entering or leaving the building.
The protest stemmed from Rodriguez’s grandson, known as “Baby Cyrus,” being taken into child protective services and hospitalized due to malnutrition. Bundy and Rodriguez encouraged their followers to attend these protests, where many of them ended up doxxing judges, attorneys, healthcare workers and social workers associated with Cyrus’ case.
Supporters of the men frequently accused the hospital and CPS of “medical kidnapping” and “medical tyranny,” and posting what St. Luke’s says are false statements online about the hospital “killing babies” and running a “child trafficking ring.”
The lawsuit says its aim is to stop the defendants from their ongoing harassment and to remove the defamatory and false statements they have posted and shared online.
Bundy has been aware of the lawsuit for over a month, it said, even though he has stated publicly that he plans to “expose” the hospital for being “wicked.”
Rodriguez also appears to have left the state and cannot be located to be formally served, court documents say, while also owing a significant amount of money in taxes. However, he has been continuously posting on his website, Freedom Man Press, during these proceedings.
In a May 16 story posted by Rodriguez, he said this lawsuit is an attempt to silence the opposition.
“It's an attempt to shut down the voices who are exposing the wickedness of St. Luke's Hospital and the multiple players involved in Idaho's government-subsidized child trafficking ring,” he said in the post.
Rodriguez also added he would “see you in court!” However, he has made no effort to contact the plaintiffs, an affidavit says.
A judge can rule in many ways in favor of St. Luke’s for the lack of response – possibly issuing fines, sanctions, a contempt of court citation, etc.
A hearing is scheduled July 12 at 2:30 p.m. at the Ada County Courthouse in relation to the sanctions on Bundy and inability to serve Rodriguez the lawsuit.
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