Publicist Leslie Sloane Asks to Be Dismissed From Justin Baldoni Lawsuit

Blake Lively's publicist says she shouldn't be a defendant in Justin Baldoni's lawsuit against Blake because, despite Baldoni's claims to the contrary, she didn't start this public relations war.

Leslie Sloane -- owner of Vision PR -- filed a motion to dismiss herself and her company from the civil lawsuit JB's team filed against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, Thursday ... claiming there's no factual basis that she started a PR war against Baldoni.

Sloane claims Baldoni's amended complaint provides no evidence to back up this claim. In addition, she points to text messages Blake obtained last year ... in which Jennifer Abel -- part of the Baldoni PR machine -- allegedly wrote she wanted to "plant pieces this week of how horrible Blake is to work with."

Leslie claims she didn't become involved in the saga until a few days after Abel's alleged message ... when she denied claims about Blake being a problem on the "It Ends with Us" set brought to her by a Daily Mail reporter.

Sloane says she told the reporter "That is 1000 percent untrue" and "Your info is totally off" before adding ... "The whole cast doesn’t like Justin nothing to do with Blake" and "I’m telling you she’s a liar. They are panicking as the whole cast hates him."

Sloane's asking the judge to dismiss the case against her and Vision PR with prejudice, and she's asking a judge to order Baldoni's side to pay their attorneys' fees.

It's been a hectic week in this case ... 'cause Blake Lively's side filed an amended complaint Tuesday claiming multiple women on set were made uncomfortable by
Justin Baldoni -- and saying at least two of them will testify to that effect.

Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, called the new allegations hearsay ... calling out these alleged witnesses for not coming forward to support the lawsuit's claims.