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Home Front: Culture Wars

CBS "Mystified" by Dan Rather's "Bizarre Allegations"

2007-11-17

Today, in New York Supreme Court, in response to Dan Rather's civil lawsuit, CBS filed a lengthy 30-page motion to dismiss the case.

CBS executives also released a statement today, noting that they are "mystified" by Rather's "bizarre allegations" but will "vigorously" defend themselves in court if need be.

"Dan Rather is one of the most important figures in the history of broadcast journalism, and for more than 40 years was one of our most valued colleagues," CBS said in the statement. "That is why we at CBS are mystified and saddened by the baseless and self-serving allegations and distortions of fact raised in his lawsuit."
Perhaps you could save yourself a lot of $$$ if you have him checked for Altzheimer's before things get too far.
"Today we are filing a motion to dismiss," added the statement. "If we are required to proceed beyond this point, we will defend the case vigorously and demonstrate that the lawsuit is wholly without merit, and that the bizarre allegations by Mr. Rather are untrue."

UPDATE: In the motion, CBS lawyers argue that Mr. Rather's lawsuit is a "thinly-disguised" defamation suit and therefore is time-barred because of a one-year statute of limitations. To wit: They point out that the last "allegedly wrongful act" took place on June, 16 2006, and that Mr. Rather did not file suit until September 19, 2007, roughly 15 months later.

Furthermore, CBS lawyers argue that Mr. Rather's actions are motivated not by any wrongful actions on the part of the defendants but, instead, by Mr. Rather's desire to stay in the limelight.

"This lawsuit is a regrettable attempt by plaintiff Dan Rather to remain in the public eye, and to settle old scores and perceived slights, based on an array of far-fetched allegations," the lawyers write.

"The Complaint is predicated on allegations of a bizarre 'scheme' extending from the White House to an array of CBS executives including Sumner Redstone, CBS's Executive Chairman, Leslie Moonves, CBS's Chief Executive Officer, and Andrew Heyward, formerly president of CBS News, all of whom, according to Rather, colluded to harm Rather's reputation and keep him off the air," add CBS lawyers. "Of course, there was no such nefarious scheme, and Rather's allegations bear no resemblance to reality. CBS and its executives are not now, and never have been, out to get Dan Rather."

Posted by:gorb

#7 Barbara Skolaut---Please start up the popcorn machine.

Posted by: Alaska Paul 2007-11-17 17:24

#6 Judges allow the variance where the Claimant found evidence after the time limit. What possible excuse could Rather give?

I believe he introduced internal CBS ~~Word documents~~ memos written in the 70's and found by an intern named Lucy Ramirez

Posted by: Frank G 2007-11-17 15:15

#5 Where there is a statute bar on initiating proceedings after a time limit, the onus is on the Claimant to prove reasons for late registration of the suit. Judges allow the variance where the Claimant found evidence after the time limit. What possible excuse could Rather give? Was he busy producing his lame HDTV show which is probably watched by about 50,000 people?

Posted by: McZoid 2007-11-17 15:02

#4 Dan Rather is one of the most ~~important~~ disgraceful figures in the history of broadcast journalism

All fixed. This maggoty SOB tried to throw a presidential election with patently false "evidence". No matter how vile, there is little one can say about him that could ever constitute slander.

Posted by: Zenster 2007-11-17 13:32

#3 I don't know how many times I've flipped past whichever cable channel it is that airs Mr. Rather's investigative reports, before settling on something else to fall asleep to. What are his ratings, I wonder?

Posted by: trailing wife 2007-11-17 12:14

#2 one-sentence motion to dismiss: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?"

Posted by: Frank G 2007-11-17 10:21

#1 Dan Rather is one of the most important figures in the history of broadcast journalism, and for more than 40 years was one of our most valued colleagues," CBS said in the statement

The above outtake is the utmost in revisionist history, dan may have occupied a highly placed position at this network, but as a mouthpiece not as a respected person of objective view.

his leftist orientation drove me away from cbs +20 years ago, and ever since, I've loathed the times I've had to be in earshot of his opinions. cBS now gets what it should have known all along that it would get, for creating this celebrity, celebrity to a leftist is a poison, which once internalized can never be cured.

rant on dan, its wholly in character and expected. a thing is what it is.
cBS......is broken, nobody watching, nobody cares, spin it anyway you want, too many former viewers, your just the lipstick on the pig.

Posted by: Spiny Gl 2511 2007-11-17 09:46

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