From the regional court

Second round in the “Reichart case”

The accused Bregenz city representative Alexander Moosbrugger (right) and his defense lawyer Wilfried Weh.

(Bild: Dorn Chantall)

Following the annulment of the verdict by the Innsbruck Higher Regional Court, the Bregenz political farce, in the course of which the head of the cultural department Judith Reichart was unjustly pilloried, must be retried. 

Judith Reichart, the head of the cultural department of the provincial capital, had famously sued the Bregenz city representative Alexander Moosbrugger for defamation. The latter was found guilty at first instance and sentenced to a partial fine of 5,400 euros. However, the verdict was overturned by the Innsbruck Higher Regional Court due to legal errors, which is why the case has now been retried at the Feldkirch Regional Court since Monday.

At the press conference, I was only interested in clarification and not in accusing Judith Reichart of anything.

Alexander Moosbrugger

The background: In a joint press conference with Veronika Marte (ÖVP) and Deputy Mayor Sandra Schoch (Greens) in October 2021, Moosbrugger, who was still a member of the city council for the NEOS at the time, accused Judith Reichart, head of the cultural department, of having obtained public funding via a non-existent cultural association and misusing it. Reichart was suspended shortly afterwards, but was completely exonerated of the allegations in April 2022 and the investigation into suspected fraud and embezzlement was closed by the public prosecutor's office.

Inciting journalists to spread false news
Reichart then filed a private lawsuit against Moosbrugger. The court's verdict in March 2023 was quite clear: Moosbrugger had wrongly accused the city official of serious fraud and breach of trust. In addition, the accused had incited media representatives at the press conference to spread defamatory false news about Reichart. Alexander Moosbrugger was therefore found guilty of defamation and sentenced to a partial fine of 5,400 euros - as already mentioned, this verdict was overturned shortly afterwards by the Higher Regional Court in Innsbruck due to legal errors.

The head of the cultural department, Judith Reichart, had sued the Bregenz city representative Alexander Moosbrugger for defamation.

(Bild: Dorn Chantall)

"I was only interested in clarification"
At the new hearing on Monday, Martin Mennel, Judith Reichart's lawyer, presented the specific accusations once again. For his part, Moosbrugger reiterated that he was only interested in clarification and not in accusing Reichart of anything. The sole purpose of the press conference at the time was to put pressure on the city to finally investigate the case.

For Judge Dietmar Nußbaumer, however, the facts of the case were different, especially as the press conference in question was explicitly aimed at Reichart. "If not Ms. Reichart, who else did you suspect of subsidy fraud?" he asked. Moosbrugger's answer was extremely erratic: "I had to tie it to something. But yes, of course you could have left out Reichart's name." The trial was adjourned and will continue on November 6.