TMC
06-17-2022, 08:18 PM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/06/17/espn-sage-steele-lawsuit-dismiss
The SportsCenter anchor sued ESPN in April, contending that her right to free speech was violated after she was removed from assignments over comments she made on a podcast last year about former president Barack Obama’s racial identity and ESPN’s vaccine mandate. As The Washington Post reports, "ESPN’s filing asked the Connecticut Superior Court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Steele cannot demonstrate she was punished because her pay was never docked. ESPN also argued that it is not legally responsible for how co-workers and others responded to Steele’s comments and that the company has its own right to expression that includes who it puts on the air." In its filing, ESPN said: “Removing Steele from broadcasts, allowing her co-workers to forgo appearing with her, and allegedly conditioning her return to those broadcasts on her issuing an apology are casting decisions that are considered conduct furthering ESPN’s protected expression." Steele's attorney responded to motion, saying: “The current leadership at Disney continues to denigrate talent disregarding not only their first amendment rights but also employee privacy. The motion has no merit and will be dismissed, as should the leadership at Disney for engaging in this outrageous conduct.”
The SportsCenter anchor sued ESPN in April, contending that her right to free speech was violated after she was removed from assignments over comments she made on a podcast last year about former president Barack Obama’s racial identity and ESPN’s vaccine mandate. As The Washington Post reports, "ESPN’s filing asked the Connecticut Superior Court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that Steele cannot demonstrate she was punished because her pay was never docked. ESPN also argued that it is not legally responsible for how co-workers and others responded to Steele’s comments and that the company has its own right to expression that includes who it puts on the air." In its filing, ESPN said: “Removing Steele from broadcasts, allowing her co-workers to forgo appearing with her, and allegedly conditioning her return to those broadcasts on her issuing an apology are casting decisions that are considered conduct furthering ESPN’s protected expression." Steele's attorney responded to motion, saying: “The current leadership at Disney continues to denigrate talent disregarding not only their first amendment rights but also employee privacy. The motion has no merit and will be dismissed, as should the leadership at Disney for engaging in this outrageous conduct.”