FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Trey Williams, 225-436-9582
Press@cajunnavy2016.org
BATON ROUGE — After years of choosing to remain focused on disaster response rather than responding to repeated false statements, Cajun Navy 2016 has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking to protect its reputation and the volunteers who have served under its name.
The lawsuit, filed in the 19th Judicial District Court, names United Cajun Navy, its president, Todd Terrell, and its vice president, Brian Thrasher, as defendants. It alleges a multi-year campaign of false and defamatory statements that has damaged Cajun Navy 2016’s reputation and interfered with its disaster relief mission.
The lawsuit does not challenge the work of other disaster relief organizations. Instead, it alleges that repeated false statements about Cajun Navy 2016 crossed the line from protected criticism into defamation.
Cajun Navy 2016 contends the defendants repeatedly published false and misleading statements through social media and other public channels, questioning the organization’s legitimacy, integrity, and disaster response efforts.
According to the petition, those statements harmed the nonprofit’s reputation, discouraged volunteers and donors, and interfered with its ability to serve communities affected by natural disasters.
“When floodwaters rise, families don’t have time to sort through competing claims on social media. They need to know who is actually showing up. Our reputation is one of the most important tools we have when lives are on the line,” said Jon Bridgers, CEO and founder of Cajun Navy 2016. “We’ve ignored this for years because helping people has always been more important than arguing online. But there comes a point when staying quiet actually hurts the people we’re trying to help.”
The petition alleges that the defendants’ statements went beyond criticism and instead constituted a deliberate effort to mislead the public, discourage volunteers and donors, and interfere with Cajun Navy 2016’s ongoing disaster response operations. The organization argues that false information during disasters creates unnecessary confusion at a time when the public should be focused on helping affected communities recover.
“We didn’t choose this path lightly. For years, we’ve stayed focused on serving others. Unfortunately, the false statements have continued, and protecting our reputation has become necessary to protect our mission,” Bridgers added. “The demand for disaster response continues to grow across our country. There is room for every organization willing to answer the call and serve those in need. We believe those efforts should be measured by the lives we help, not by attempts to discredit others who have chosen the same mission.”
Founded in the aftermath of Louisiana’s historic 2016 floods, Cajun Navy 2016 has spent the past decade deploying volunteers across Louisiana and throughout the United States to assist communities following hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters. The organization has coordinated water rescues, search and rescue operations, supply distribution, and long-term recovery efforts while relying almost entirely on the trust and generosity of volunteers and donors.
The lawsuit seeks damages authorized under Louisiana law, together with injunctive and declaratory relief to prevent further defamatory conduct. Because the matter is now before the court, Cajun Navy 2016 will not comment further on the litigation and will remain focused on serving communities affected by disasters.
About Cajun Navy 2016
Cajun Navy 2016 is a nationwide, nonprofit, volunteer-led rescue and relief organization founded in Louisiana following the historic 2016 floods. The organization deploys trained volunteers and specialized equipment to assist communities impacted by hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters across the United States.
While many individuals and groups use the “Cajun Navy” name to describe volunteer disaster response efforts, Cajun Navy 2016 was among the first organizations to formally incorporate as a nonprofit using the “Cajun Navy” name. The general term “Cajun Navy” first gained widespread use in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, when volunteer boaters from Louisiana mobilized to rescue stranded residents—reflecting a long-standing tradition of neighbors helping neighbors in times of crisis. Learn more about Cajun Navy 2016 at https://cajunnavy2016.org/.