The legal representatives of Justin Baldoni have made serious allegations, claiming that the attorneys representing Blake Lively are attempting to extort Taylor Swift, a renowned music superstar, in a high-profile legal dispute.
Allegations of Extortion: What Justin Baldoni’s Legal Team Is Asserting
In a recently filed court letter on Wednesday, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter (THR), Baldoni’s attorney Bryan Freedman detailed the accusations against Lively’s legal representative, Michael Gottlieb. According to Freedman, Gottlieb approached the law firm representing Swift, Venable, with demands that could be interpreted as coercive.
The court letter specifically states that Gottlieb allegedly “demanded that Ms. Swift issue a public statement supporting Ms. Lively.” Furthermore, it was implied that should Ms. Swift decline this request, “private text messages of a personal nature” would be made public, which raises serious ethical concerns regarding the legal tactics being employed.
Freedman’s communication also noted that Swift’s legal team did respond to these demands in at least one documented message. The content of this correspondence is now sought to be disclosed in court, as Baldoni’s team believes it demonstrates that Lively’s attorneys are engaged in intimidation tactics against a key witness in the ongoing legal confrontation between Baldoni and Lively.
In a rebuttal to these allegations, Gottlieb has publicly denounced the claims, labeling them as “categorically false.” He further criticized the reliance on anonymous sources for these accusations as “cowardly,” suggesting that Freedman’s approach lacks credibility and accountability.
“We unequivocally deny all these so-called allegations, which are cowardly sourced to supposed anonymous sources, and completely untethered from reality,” Gottlieb stated. He emphasized that such tactics are characteristic of the Wayfarer parties’ legal representatives, who seem intent on launching baseless attacks without substantiating evidence, disregarding the potential harm to those involved. Gottlieb also indicated that they would be filing motions in court to seek accountability for what they consider misconduct by Baldoni’s attorneys.
This exchange is merely the latest chapter in the ongoing legal drama between Baldoni and Lively, a saga that has seen numerous developments and updates over time, capturing public interest and media attention alike.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
