“Do we really want to elect this clown, this nonstop, one-ring circus, this liar?” Holmberg said — one of several statements from the TV piece that Morrissey alleges are untrue and defamatory in the suit.

Instead, Morrissey describes himself as a “learned man” in the filing.

“In truth and in fact, Mr. Morrissey is not a clown who has his own one-ring circus,” Morrissey’s suit alleges. “Such an accusation is malicious, spiteful, the product of ill-will and is an overt attempt to discredit and destroy his reputation for honesty and integrity.”

Stephen P. Hayes, WTVR’s general manager and president, said in an email Tuesday that “it is WTVR’s policy not to respond to pending legal matters.” The suit was filed Sept. 5 in Richmond Circuit Court, but it’s not clear whether the station or Holmberg has been served with the complaint.

Holmberg, who also writes occasional columns for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, could not immediately be reached for comment.

As a public figure, Morrissey would need to prove not only that the claims are false, but also that they were made with actual malice, said Carl Tobias, a constitutional law professor at the University of Richmond.