Dec. 31, 2024: Legal Action Initiated by Baldoni, Wayfarer, and More Against The New York Times

On December 31, prominent figures including Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace, and Street Relations filed a significant lawsuit against The New York Times. This legal action brings attention to serious allegations regarding the integrity of both reporting and privacy laws.

According to the lawsuit obtained by E! News, the plaintiffs accuse The New York Times of committing libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract. These allegations stem from an article discussing a purported retaliatory smear campaign directed at actress Blake Lively after she raised concerns about alleged misconduct on set. The plaintiffs are adamant that the article misrepresented the facts.

The plaintiffs vehemently state that the report is “false” and that it is primarily based on Lively?s CRD complaint. They argue that the messages referenced in both the article and the complaint were taken out of context, distorting the truth surrounding the situation. This claim raises important questions about journalistic practices and the responsibilities media outlets have in ensuring factual accuracy.

?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 lawsuit asserts. It highlights that the newspaper seemingly lifted Lively’s statements nearly verbatim, while ignoring substantial evidence that could have contradicted her claims and revealed her true motives, thus calling into question the integrity of the reporting.

The plaintiffs also assert that it was actually Lively who engaged in a calculated smear campaign against them, a claim she has firmly denied. This accusation adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing dispute and underscores the contentious nature of the allegations.

In response to the lawsuit, The New York Times has stated its intention to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.” The publication emphasized its commitment to journalistic integrity by asserting, ?The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead.? They further claimed that their story was “meticulously and responsibly reported,” based on a thorough review of thousands of original documents, including text messages and emails, which were quoted accurately and in detail in the article.