An anonymous commenter on a local blog is the target of a lawsuit filed Monday by Tina Jacobson, chair of the Kootenai County Republican Party.

The suit claims a commenter using the pseudonym "almostinnocentbystander" posted libelous, defamatory statements about Jacobson in February on the Spokesman-Review's Huckleberries blog. It also alleges that several other bloggers made similar statements.

The suit names John or Jane Doe as the defendant. While neither the Spokesman-Review nor Huckleberries blogger Dave Oliveria are named in the suit, the document alleges the identity of "almostinnocentbystander" is known to "Cowles Publishing Company d/b/a Spokesman-Review."

The suit alleges the commenter wrote that "there was $10,000 missing from the Republican Central Committee funds and that the missing funds were hidden on the person of Mrs. Jacobson."

The statement is false, the suit alleges, and damaging to Jacobson's reputation.

The legal document claims Oliveria acknowledged that the comments were libelous and removed them from the blog.

Jacobson's requests for the names of the bloggers were turned down by the newspaper, the suit alleges.

It seeks damages from the anonymous commenter, and a court injunction barring the individual from committing future acts of libel against Jacobson.

Jacobson's attorney will likely seek to unmask the identity of the commenter as the suit progresses.