CBS loses bid to dismiss Dan Rather lawsuit

Source: Reuters

A New York judge on Monday rejected CBS Corp's bid to dismiss former TV news anchor Dan Rather's $70 million lawsuit claiming he was fired over a controversial election-year report on former President George W. Bush's Vietnam War-era military service.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Ira Gammerman set a December 22 hearing in the case and directed that testimony be taken from witnesses, including Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom Inc, which controlled CBS at the time.

"Let's get this case moving," Gammerman said. "I would really like to get this case ready for trial."

Rather, 77, sued CBS, its Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward for fraud over his firing from the network, his home for more than four decades, over the report on Bush's military record.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_cbs_rather

Sue them until they are broke.

They probably have it written into their contracts that they are indeminified.

Or Bernie Maddow. Or lots of others.

All of the rights... with no accountability.

I hope Rather wins. He says he will not settle out of court.

they therefore do as they like." - Edward Thurlow

I've heard it rephrased as: "Corporations have no souls to save, and no bodies to incarcerate."

The truth IS out....

He wasn't where he said he was. He was AWOL. A deserter. Period.

They would deny anything negative about their Party, even if they believed it.

Money is not the issue here-even though I'm sure Rather would love to win some jack. There's a lot more at stake here than Rather's rep. There is an opportunity for truth and justice-I want to know who set upRather and Mapes (the producer) . IIRC the White House was asked to comment/respond to the story before it aired and they basically said (wink wink) "Go ahead." Correct me if I'm wrong.

There's a lot of bizarre going around on DU.

jerks who's against "frivolous" lawsuits ("frivolous" using his own definition, of course, and not really having much to do with the merits of a case) and wants limits on them UNTIL HE needs to file something. Then, of course, HIS lawsuit is never frivolous, oh, no. Been in the legal field long enough to see a LOT of hypocritical jerks like that.

Dan's suit is anything but frivolous.

This fervor to end what some characterize as the frivolous law suit is a ploy to allow corporations to be even more abusive to both their workers and consumers. I believe we have traveled down that road just about as far as we can.

shows that he was likely telling a truth which CBS did not want him to tell. The freepers all still think Rather tried to frame Bush with fake docs, but if Rather had done so knowingly, would he then spend so much time and money on this?

but you really shouldn't believe them.

very quickly, most likely.

of the case - they still haven't shared the important fact that the CBS panel 'experts' never found that document to be forged, but, the way they presented the case faulting the vetting gave rise to the narrative that the document was debunked. That...NEVER...happened.

CBS had best get into their bunkers. Dan, the man, is on a mission.

I love you, Dan Rather!

and now we're supposed to shed tears to a multi millionare who loses his job at age 70+ ?

(and NO I do not think his reports about Bush were wrong - I just find it hard to cry that he still lives in part in the same world as the 'little people' he never gave a damn about)

GWB did not serve and should have been dishonorably discharged - too many hands in the pot to help this useless man along to ruin our country - and idiots helped it along while those in power hid the truth as they still do

Very easy to "de-bunk" the medium. No one even bothered to try to de-bunk the story itself, though.

What would YOU do if your candidate went AWOL from the frickin' Texas Air National Guard and the opposing candidate was in a real unit and had a handful of purple hearts?

let's get this show on the road!

Their news division bowed to political/economic pressure and let it skew their coverage of fact.

This is a defense of the role of the Fourth Estate. It's a noble cause.

interview with Glenn Beck. Why would CBS lend credence to a raving lunatic?

it's about time they pay for their cowardice and breach of public faith

Always check your six.

For much of his career, Rather was a suckup for the right-wing. This despite his well-known spats with Richard Nixon (1974 press conference) and George H.W. Bush (that infamous 1988 Evening News interview). These two incidents provided the right-wing noise machine with plenty of ammo to cry "LIBERAL BIAS!" But then the National Guard story came up, and BOOM! You couldn't believe how pissed off they were that CBS was pressured to drop Dan.

The {ass}wipes are falling. May you beat the crap out of them.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE58K5...

Rather hopes to show Redstone wanted him fired. CBS lawyers argued that Redstone had no such recollection, and that deposing him would as a result accomplish nothing.

A representative for Redstone had no immediate comment.

Make those bastards accountable!

Although the letter was obviously a "plant" by Bush operatives, the fact that Bush went AWOL cannot be as easily dismissed. Lots of witnesses there.

Bush was a draft-dodger, and a poor one at that. A less-well-connected reversist would have been court martialed for such behavior.

Why should Dan pay for getting the facts out, even though hampered by a planted letter?

If he wins, there will be far more willing to roll the dice on fraud suits against these assholes!!! And, frankly, they deserve to have a slew of suits filed against them!!!

All of these CEOs need to be held to account for their actions.	bemildred	Sep-21-09 07:27 PM	#1
Unfortunately, they will not be individually held responsible...	rfranklin	Sep-21-09 07:49 PM	#5
Tell that to Kenny Lay.	bemildred	Sep-21-09 08:03 PM	#9
Yep. Which is exactly the problem with corporate "personhood"..	wroberts189	Sep-21-09 10:32 PM	#22
"Corporations have neither bodies to be punished, nor souls to be condemned;	tclambert	Sep-22-09 03:53 PM	#52
Great news!	Scurrilous	Sep-21-09 07:28 PM	#2
Go get 'em Dan-o! nt	Captain Hilts	Sep-21-09 07:30 PM	#3
I hope Dan wins big time. Also the truth comes out about bu$h's missing 2 years.	RC	Sep-21-09 07:34 PM	#4
Also the truth comes out about bu$h's missing 2 years.	AlbertCat	Sep-21-09 07:51 PM	#7
Yes, but it never hurts to repeat the truth so that those who haven't yet heard it get the chance!	lib_wit_it	Sep-21-09 08:03 PM	#8
I know that and you know that, but the real world is still in denial.	RC	Sep-21-09 09:34 PM	#17
Only if you define "real world" as the 20 or 30% of Americans who are hard core Rethugs.	No Elephants	Sep-22-09 02:21 AM	#36
the real world knows but just doesn't care.	IDFbunny	Sep-22-09 04:46 PM	#55
This could be interesting!	Rosa Luxemburg	Sep-21-09 11:49 PM	#32
The truth IS out	IDFbunny	Sep-22-09 04:45 PM	#54
Good, now they get	Cha	Sep-21-09 07:50 PM	#6
Get them under oath, on the record etc etc etc	Maccagirl	Sep-21-09 08:08 PM	#10
YAY! n/t	Kind of Blue	Sep-21-09 08:22 PM	#11
Excellent. I am SO rooting for Dan Rather in this case. n/t	crim son	Sep-21-09 08:40 PM	#12
Me Too (nt)	Dinger	Sep-21-09 09:09 PM	#13
Will Rather ever get tired of this lawsuit?	robcon	Sep-21-09 09:09 PM	#14
No... he has stated quite clearly this is not about him and he will not settle. nt	wroberts189	Sep-21-09 10:33 PM	#23
Bizarre post.	No Elephants	Sep-22-09 02:25 AM	#38
Yup, very bizarre.	Enthusiast	Sep-22-09 04:54 AM	#41
No kidding. He's probably one of those hypocritical	liberalhistorian	Sep-22-09 01:39 PM	#51
And we know for certain that	Enthusiast	Sep-22-09 04:04 PM	#53
no, and the very fact that he isn't giving up	unpossibles	Sep-22-09 11:39 AM	#49
it's ok if you want to watch Faux	BlancheSplanchnik	Sep-22-09 12:43 PM	#50
Discovery should be AWESOME. nt	Robb	Sep-21-09 09:16 PM	#15
and public	Aragorn	Sep-21-09 10:47 PM	#24
The rest of the media piled on against Dan - they'll have little interest in reporting the facts	blm	Sep-22-09 05:26 AM	#43
K&R for Dan!	David Zephyr	Sep-21-09 09:25 PM	#16
This guy sliently went along with millions of Americans getting sent to the dumpster of 'free trade'	mule_train	Sep-21-09 09:47 PM	#18
I am rooting for DAN and the truth of his real story to come to light	2Design	Sep-21-09 10:09 PM	#19
"Oh, shit." - xCommander AWOL (R)	SpiralHawk	Sep-21-09 10:15 PM	#20
Yeah - what gets lost in all this legal BS is that Rather's report was essentially true.	baldguy	Sep-21-09 10:51 PM	#25
Yep. That's why I think someone planted the computer generated version.	No Elephants	Sep-22-09 02:30 AM	#39
Yes.... Let's get this case moving....	midnight	Sep-21-09 10:26 PM	#21
score one for the good guys!!!!	robinlynne	Sep-21-09 11:00 PM	#26
GO DAN!	Odin2005	Sep-21-09 11:07 PM	#27
IT'S ABOUT TIME!	orleans	Sep-21-09 11:08 PM	#28
Smilie	defendandprotect	Sep-21-09 11:28 PM	#29
K&R n/t	myrna minx	Sep-21-09 11:37 PM	#30
CBS broke faith with their mission, and the American people.	bleever	Sep-21-09 11:48 PM	#31
As witnessed by Katie Couric's	Enthusiast	Sep-22-09 04:57 AM	#42
Give 'em hell, Dan!	Vidar	Sep-21-09 11:57 PM	#33
choke on it, CBS	Capn Sunshine	Sep-22-09 12:00 AM	#34
Check Six, Dan.	DemoTex	Sep-22-09 01:54 AM	#35
Dan Rather: Fired for GOOD (but flawed) journalism	alp227	Sep-22-09 02:23 AM	#37
Oh, Danny Boy,	road2000	Sep-22-09 03:55 AM	#40
Redstone may have to testify over Rather suit	cal04	Sep-22-09 08:00 AM	#44
Yes! Go, Dan!	Mad_Dem_X	Sep-22-09 08:14 AM	#45
Go go to trial!	McCamy Taylor	Sep-22-09 08:32 AM	#46
Great news!	mod mom	Sep-22-09 08:35 AM	#47
Good For Dan Rather	jeremyfive	Sep-22-09 09:27 AM	#48
All my best to Dan! He knows this lawsuit means as much to us, as to him.	sicksicksick_N_tired	Sep-22-09 06:50 PM	#56