A fellow member of the state House filed preliminary documents in Butler County Court saying he intends to sue state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-12th, for libel, slander or defamation of character.

“I have no intention to discuss this matter, publicly, until, and at such time, I commence the filing of the final complaint in this regard with the Prothonotary Office of Butler County,” said Rep. Peter Daley, D-49th, of Washington County, who was first elected to the House in 1983.

Metcalfe said Thursday that he wasn’t aware of Daley’s intention to sue him. Bad feelings between the legislators likely extended back to late December when Metcalfe accused Daley and another House member, Rep. Leslie Acosta, D-Philadelphia, of casting “ghost votes” during a series of critical House votes on the state budget.

Metcalfe said the votes, which he claims were cast for the legislators while they were absent in violation of House rules, tipped the balance of the contentious advancement over what was then a $30.8 billion budget proposed by the Senate. That vote passed the House by one vote, 100 to 99.