COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 15, 1998) -- Lewis Coomer, the roughly hewn Putnam County court clerk, doesn't spend all his time chatting with the beautiful females he sits between at the windows of his Justice Center Office.

No, he took a few moments Wednesday to state he would bring defamation charges against Putnam Pit editor Geoff Davidian for telling a law enforcement officer that Lewey 'I can do anything I want' Coomer  was a thief because he charged inmates jail fees when he had no right to.

So come on, Mr. Coomer, if it is not true sue. Come on, Mr. Coomer, stand up for yourself. You're in tight with all the judges. You could easily win a defamation case this election year -- unless, of course, you are a thief, which people will think you are if you don't sue.

Let's put the evidence before a jury and before the election, okay Mr. Coomer? What do you say? Come on, Mr. Coomer, unless you are a thief! Let's get some discovery before the election.

If you don't sue, it shows you are scared the voters will learn that statements that you illegally ripped off prisoners is true, and they'll dump you like pig-faced martian at the Miss Galaxy contest.

Oh, you gave the money back to some of the prisoners you charged improperly. But that's like a petty thief giving back the lipstick outside WalMart, Isn't it, Mr. Coomer.

If you don't sue, you're history, Mr. Coomer.