Tareq Salahi prepares round two of lawsuit against wife

FRONT ROYAL -- Tareq Salahi's attorney said Friday he is planning to revive a lawsuit against his estranged wife Michaele Salahi, despite a judge's ruling that has left it on life support.

Circuit Judge Dennis L. Hupp has given Salahi 21 days from April 9 to file an amended lawsuit or have the case dismissed under a written decision issued after hearing arguments from the opposing attorneys in court.

"It's his intention to file an amendment," said Georgia Rossiter, a Winchester attorney who represents Tareq Salahi.

Hupp's ruling accepted all legal arguments made by Edward Barnes of Chesterfied in a demurrer filed on behalf of Michaele Salahi. The demurrer included a request that the suit be dismissed, but Hupp allowed an opportunity for Tareq Salahi to amend it.

Rossiter said she was still exploring the details of an amended complaint.

"I'm still looking at the law and looking at cases from across the country," she said.

Tareq Salahi's original complaint sought $50.45 million from Michaele for damages he says he suffered as a result of her actions linked to the breakup of their marriage in early September. His suit accused her of humiliating him publicly and scheming to gain money and publicity from her decision to leave him for Neal Schon, the lead guitartst for the rock band Journey.

Michaele Salahi has filed a counter lawsuit for defamation of character in which she accuses him of calling her a "groupie slut" during a TV interview on Sept. 19. She is asking for $850,000 in damages. Hupp's ruling also allowed Michaele Salahi to continue her countersuit.

In another matter, Rossiter said her client had managed to raise the money needed to make payments on the mortgages for his house at 440 Scenic Overlook Drive near Linden.

The house had been scheduled for a mortgage foreclosure auction on Wednesday and court documents filed by Rossiter had described Tareq Salahi as "incapable of sustaining these debts on his own."

Rossiter said she didn't know where Salahi had obtained the money to make his mortgage payments, but she was certain it was enough to fend off foreclosure.

"There was no auction. The mortgage is caught up," she said.