Liberal Newspaper Publisher Accused of Fraud By Investors

A civil lawsuit has been filed against Liberals’ High Plains Leader and Times newspaper and its publisher Earl Watt, according to a story first reported in the Hutchison News on Thursday.

The lawsuit was filed July 27th in District Court by businessmen Jack Carlie and Doug Brewer, both part owners of the newspaper and its company Seward County Publishing. The suit alleges Watt, a 51 percent owner of the company, used investment money obtained from the plaintiff for other purposes than described when the money was solicited. The plantiffs also allege that they were not informed by Watt of state and federal tax problems at the time of the partnership.

The two count lawsuit also alleges that Watt and Seward County Publishing have only sporadically provided financial statements and records, as requested by the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs are asking for a jury trail to settle the matter.