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Plaintiffs Initiate Legal Action Against The New York Times Over Defamation Claims
A coalition of individuals and entities, including Baldoni and Wayfarer, has launched a lawsuit against The New York Times on December 31, alleging defamation and other charges. The legal action involves Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations.
Lawsuit Details Allegations of Libel and False Light
According to court documents obtained by E! News, the plaintiffs accuse The New York Times of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied contract. These accusations stem from an article published by the newspaper concerning a purported retaliatory smear campaign. The plaintiffs are alleged to have orchestrated this campaign against Lively after she raised concerns about alleged misconduct on a film set.
Plaintiffs Deny Smear Campaign Allegations
The plaintiffs vehemently deny the report’s assertions, labeling them as “false.” They contend that the article heavily relies on Lively’s complaint filed with the CRD (presumably Civil Rights Department). Further, they assert that messages cited in both the article and the complaint were presented without proper context.
The lawsuit challenges the Times’ claim of comprehensive document review, stating, “Despite its claim to have ‘reviewed these along with other documents[,]’ the Times relied almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative.” The legal filing further argues that the publication allegedly “lifted it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.”
Countering the initial allegations, the plaintiffs contend, “it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign.” Lively has reportedly refuted these counter-accusations.
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The New York Times Vows to Defend Against Lawsuit
The New York Times has issued a statement indicating its intent to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
In its statement to E!, the newspaper asserted, “The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.”