DENVER - An Elbert County man has filed a federal lawsuit after a county commissioner called him a terrorist and tried to ban him from the county building.

Don Pippin says he was offended after commissioner Kurt Schlegel called him a terrorist and unsuccessfully tried to ban him from the county building. Pippin says he suffered emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life.

According to the Denver Post, Pippin was photographing security cameras at the Elbert County administration building in April for an open-records request he was planning about the cost of the system when he was challenged by county officials.

Schlegel says officials were trying to protect county employees.