Rochester, NY — Jason J. McGuire, Executive Director of New York Families Foundation, has filed a libel lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James in her individual capacity. He alleges that statements made in a press release on April 3, 2025, falsely characterized the outcome of a criminal case against him.
The complaint, filed in New York State Supreme Court and prepared by attorneys at McLaughlin & Stern, LLP, argues that the Attorney General’s public statements wrongly implied that McGuire confessed to stealing political funds—an allegation the lawsuit states is false and unsupported by the charges or plea.
According to the complaint, McGuire was charged with and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, related to inaccuracies in campaign finance disclosure reports. The charges did not allege theft, and the complaint states that McGuire did not admit to stealing funds or to any misuse of $16,000 in political committee resources.
The lawsuit further alleges that, after the plea, a press release from Attorney General James included statements suggesting that McGuire had “line[d] his own pockets with party funds” and committed theft—claims the complaint states are false and defamatory.
The complaint argues that these statements caused extensive media coverage that falsely claimed McGuire admitted to theft, resulting in serious damage to his personal and professional reputation.
“This lawsuit aims to correct the public record and hold those who make false statements that harm reputations accountable,” said McGuire. “The facts of this case matter, and they were misrepresented in a way that has caused lasting consequences.”
Pastor Justin Bleuer, New York Families Foundation Board Vice President, added: “We believe the statements made about Jason McGuire were false and unfair. This legal action is a crucial step to ensure the truth is clearly established.”
Rev. Emelio Sebastian, President of the Board of New York Families Foundation, said: “No one — including the attorney general of the State of New York — is above the law. We fully support this effort to seek accountability through the legal process.”
The lawsuit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages for reputational harm.
A short documentary detailing McGuire’s experience during the investigation is available for viewing.
Image Credit: Shutterstock.com/1271930083 (Lev Radin)