PITTSBURGH – A former attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice alleges that the estranged wife of her one-time lover repeatedly harassed and defamed her, once she learned that the plaintiff had a brief relationship with her husband.
Tammy Allison Holloway of Prince Georges County, Md., and Attorney Tammy Allison, PLLC of Texas filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 19 versus Lisa Harris (in her individual capacity, as well as her official capacity as an officer of both Quantum Source Insurance Group, LLC and Hunter Jackson Harris Holdings, Inc.), Quantum Source Insurance, LLC and Hunter Jackson Harris Holdings, Inc., all of Pennsylvania.
“Holloway is a former senior attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice who worked for over a decade in the Office of the Pardon Attorney, tasked with making recommendations regarding Federal Executive Clemency to Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, is a former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Washington, D.C. and is a former senior employment law attorney for the Federal Bureau of Prisons,” the suit says.
“After Holloway’s tenure with the DOJ, she opened a private law firm, Attorney Tammy Allison, which assists individuals with convictions to properly submit clemency petitions with an emphasis on Federal Pardons. Allison, as a federally focused practice, is open for business in every state or territory of the United States of America which enforces federal law. Holloway also frequently provides televised legal analysis on CourtTV, Law and Crime, CNN, MSNBC and other news channels focused on law.”
Holloway met an individual named Charles Harris on July 15 in Washington D.C. After the exchange of business cards, Holloway and Mr. Harris began frequently communicating with each other. Over the course of said communications, Holloway learned from Mr. Harris that he was at that point, separated from his wife, defendant Lisa Harris, the suit says.
On or about July 22, Mr. Harris returned to Washington D.C. for the express purpose of engaging in a personal relationship with Holloway, the suit says. On July 23, Holloway and Mr. Harris began a sexual relationship, it adds. After the brief relationship ensued in Pittsburgh and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and ended on Aug. 9, the suit says defendant Harris subsequently reached out to Holloway through multiple mediums.
These consisted of private messages on Facebook, LinkedIn, email messages and text messages over cell phone.
“Hello, my name is Lisa Harris. I am the wife of your current boyfriend Charles. I don’t think you realize what you are caught up in. For a woman of your stature, it would destroy you to be associated with him. I’m taking evidence of several federal crimes he has committed to my attorney tomorrow morning. Also, you should know he totally conned you and is nothing like he portrays himself to be. His businesses are bankrupt, due to him, and he has legal, criminal and domestic charges against him,” the suit states, quoting one message sent over Facebook.
“He owes $350K to loan sharks, whom he says is the cartel. He has a trip booked to Colombia this weekend with his dad, and he’s been on a Colombian sex site that looks to me like it is underage girls. I think you are probably going to want to call me because you are now going to be involved in the divorce. FYI, you are NOT the only one that he is conning and sleeping with. I have proof of all of this. I’m not upset with you at all, I am trying to help you. I’m not the enemy, and he’s definitely not the victim.”
Subsequent messages from defendant Harris threatened involvement in the plaintiff’s child custody issues and damage to her employment, as well as putting the plaintiff’s name “on the front page of The Washington Post.”
The suit continues that the defendant made defamatory comments on YouTube videos featuring the plaintiff, accusing her of being involved with married men and accepting money from them, before sending her 49 text messages (some of which included child sex abuse photos) and stating, “…I doubt you want to be involved in a DOJ investigation on child sex trafficking.”
Another message featured the defendant Harris implying that Holloway was a prostitute, according to the suit.
For counts of defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress, the plaintiffs are seeking, jointly and severally, compensatory damages in economic and non-economic forms, emotional damages for humiliation, embarrassment, pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, as well as punitive damages, attorney’s fees and costs of suit.
The plaintiffs are represented by Martell Harris of The Trial Law Firm, in Pittsburgh.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-22-010350
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com