The daughter of a state House representative sued her father's primary election challenger for what she called false and defamatory advertisements.

Lisa Swinto, daughter of Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, is suing Scott Timko, a fellow Republican who ran for the GOP nomination for the 12th Legislative District, over a campaign pamphlet that she said was printed by Friends of Scott Timko and distributed to “thousands of residents of the 12th Legislative District in Butler County.”

Metcalfe defeated Timko in the June 2 primary, according to election results. The lawsuit was filed days before the primary.

In the lawsuit, Swinto, who lives in Florida, refutes several points made in the pamphlet, including claims that she is a lobbyist and “that Swinto lobbied to allow illegal immigrants 'to put more PA workers out of their jobs.'”

But Timko said “the lawsuit is a joke. It's almost as big a joke as his 22 years in the office.”

As a former county resident, Swinto claims in the lawsuit that the “pamphlet, taken as a whole, used false and unsubstantiated information to attack the plaintiff and to demean, embarrass and humiliate her and her family in the community where her parents live and where she was raised.” Swinto asks for a judgment in her favor and for compensation in excess of $35,000.

The pamphlet was distributed as part of Timko's efforts to challenge Metcalfe in the primary. According to election results, Metcalfe gained 6,500 votes, while Timko gained 3,496 votes.

“She is a lobbyist, that's true. This lawsuit has no merit,” Timko said. “I think he's panicked because my message has resonated. People are tired of his strong-arm tactics and, frankly, his corruption. And that's exactly what this is. He's a bully and has used strong-arm tactics his entire career.”

Timko grew up in Saxonburg, graduated from Knoch High School and for the past 20 years has lived in Cranberry Township with his family. He said he decided to run because of the current state of politics.

“Over the last 20 years, I've gotten tired and frustrated and disgusted with lack of progress and lack of civility of Metcalfe,” Timko said. “He goes after everyone. He acts in a boorish manner and he accomplishes nothing because no one wants to work with him.”

But in Swinto's lawsuit, she claims the pamphlet in question goes too far by including her likeness. She claims that she is a “private citizen who holds no political position and is a resident of Florida.” She alleges that Timko knew he was publishing false information, and that the claims have hurt her standing and reputation within her community.

Swinto's lawyer, Cranberry Township-based Doug Linn, said it was Timko who was turning savage.

“What Timko is doing isn't fair. Not fair to the voter and certainly not fair to my client,” Linn said.

Timko said he would eventually respond to the lawsuit.