Jones

FACTS

Jones operates several businesses in California City, including Preferred Towing Service, LLC (a towing company) and Fast Response Security, Inc. (a private security services company). Jones’s business partner Amanda Adolf administered a Facebook site entitled “Eyes on You,” which apparently focused on matters of public interest within California City. In early 2017, Reekes began posting opinions on the Facebook page Adolf administered. Reekes also contributed to a Facebook site parodying “Eyes on You,” entitled “Eyes on Ewe,” which also profiled matters of public interest within California City, but from a predictably different point of view. “Eyes on Ewe” was started by Jaymes Gordon, a California City resident. The comments in question criticizing Jones and alleging that Jones was involved in political corruption and control of the city leaders and police in California City appear to have been posted before May 2019 on “Eyes on Ewe.” Reekes claimed the only place she posted any of the comments at issue was on the “Eyes on Ewe” Facebook account. Gordon shut down the “Eyes on Ewe” Facebook public account on or about May 12, 2019, as part of a small claims case settlement.…