Court of Appeals upholds ruling against Swindall libel suit

ATLANTA - The Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court ruling that dismissed a libel lawsuit by former U.S. Rep. Pat Swindall against Cox Enterprises Inc., which publishes The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. <br> <br> Swindall, who served a term in federal prison for perjury, claimed the newspaper defamed him in an editorial that said he was ``a man who lied about drug-money laundering.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The appeals court said the statements in the editorial were ``substantially true.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Swindall said he plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. ``I just happen to be one of those who thinks the truth matters,&#39;&#39; he said. <br> <br> Peter C. Canfield, attorney for the Journal-Constitution, said the suit was an ``example of someone trying to rewrite history through a libel suit.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> ``The fact is that Pat Swindall was convicted even though he doesn&#39;t think he should have been convicted,&#39;&#39; Canfield said.