Ruda v. State

In a claim to recover *464damages for defamation, the claimant appeals from an order of the Court of Claims (Lebous, J.), entered December 8, 1999, which denied his motion to compel discovery and granted the defendant’s cross motion for summary judgment dismissing the claim.

Ordered that the order is affirmed, with costs.

The claimant, the owner of a “licensed cigarette agent,” alleged that Robert Shepherd, the Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, made allegedly defamatory statements as to alleged violations by the claimant of the State tax…