STATE OF MINNESOTA
DISTRICT COURT
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Royce White,
Plaintiff,
v.
Dustin Grage and Alex Plechash,
Defendants.
Court File No.: ________________
COMPLAINT
(Jury Trial Demanded)
Plaintiff Royce White, for his Complaint against Defendants Dustin Grage and Alex Plechash, states and alleges as follows:
PARTIES
1. Plaintiff Royce White is a resident of Minnesota and a candidate for the United States Senate.
2. Defendant Dustin Grage is a resident of Minnesota and maintains an active public presence on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @GrageDustin.
3. Defendant Alex Plechash is a resident of Minnesota and serves as Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
4. This Court has jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter pursuant to Minnesota Statutes. Venue is proper in Hennepin County as the defamatory statements were published and caused harm here.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
5. On or about April 24, 2026, Defendant Grage published the following statement on X: “So Royce beat his kid and forced his ex-wife to pursue a no contact order that will last 50 years.” This statement was viewed by thousands of users and widely republished.
6. Defendant Plechash publicly stated that reports involving Plaintiff and a no-contact order were “deeply troubling,” that the Party would not “pretend this is acceptable,” and urged Plaintiff to immediately suspend his campaign due to concerns over “sound judgment, behavioral discipline, and respect for the law.” These statements were published via press release and amplified by media outlets.
7. The statements by both Defendants were presented as statements of fact, not opinion.
8. The statements are false. Plaintiff has not been convicted of any crime. The referenced order of protection is a contested civil matter issued under a lower “preponderance of the evidence” standard, remains under active appeal, and stems from disputed “he said/she said” allegations in family court. Plaintiff denies the underlying allegations and asserts the order resulted from procedural unfairness, including denial of the opportunity to present witnesses and full rebuttal.
9. Defendants published these statements with at least negligence, and upon information and belief with actual malice (knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for the truth), for the purpose of harming Plaintiff’s reputation and political campaign.
10. The statements accuse Plaintiff of child abuse/domestic violence, which constitutes defamation per se under Minnesota law as they impute the commission of a crime and tend to injure Plaintiff in his profession and standing in the community.
CAUSES OF ACTION
Count I – Defamation (Libel) – Against Both Defendants
11. Defendants published false statements of fact about Plaintiff to third parties.
12. The statements are defamatory on their face and have caused Plaintiff harm to his reputation, emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, and economic damages including loss of campaign support and opportunities.
13. Plaintiff is entitled to presumed damages under Minnesota law for defamation per se, plus actual, special, and punitive damages.
Count II – Defamation by Implication / False Light – Against Both Defendants
(If applicable – preserves additional claims)
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Royce White respectfully requests that this Court enter judgment against Defendants as follows:
a. Compensatory damages in an amount to be proven at trial, including presumed general damages;
b. Special damages for economic losses;
c. Punitive damages for willful and malicious conduct;
d. Injunctive relief requiring retraction and removal of the defamatory statements;
e. Attorney’s fees and costs as permitted by law;
f. Such other and further relief as the Court deems just and equitable.
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
Plaintiff demands a trial by jury on all issues so triable.
Dated: April __, 2026
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Royce White
Royce White, Pro Se (or Attorney Name, if retained)
[Address]
[Phone]
[Email]
