NEW YORK (AP) - Dan Rather has filed an amended lawsuit against CBS that
says other TV networks refused to hire him because of the damage executives at
his former company did to his reputation after a disputed 2004 report on
President Bush.
Rather's lawyer, Martin R. Gold, said new papers were filed because a judge
said in April the initial lawsuit did not specify how CBS injured Rather in his
occupation. The judge said the veteran newsman could submit an amended
complaint.
Gold said the new papers, filed Wednesday in Manhattan's state Supreme
Court, detail the injuries that Rather claims.
Rather says he met with CNN, ABC, and NBC in 2006 to talk about employment
after his departure from CBS, but they refused to hire him because he brought
"too much baggage."
The news anchor said that when he met CNN officials in 1997, they offered
him $6 million a year to work for them. He said issues with his CBS contract,
plus CBS' proposed match of CNN's offer, caused him to stay where he was.
In a spring 2006 meeting, court papers say, Rather met again with CNN
executives and with ABC and NBC representatives. None would consider him, saying
in various ways that the Bush story had generated too much controversy.
Rather and his agents also met later with Fox, A&E, History Channel, HBO,
Discovery Channel and National Geographic television networks, court papers say,
but all passed, saying he was "too hot to handle" or "words to that effect."
Rather's papers say he could have defended the Bush story, but, relying on
CBS' promises to defend him and extend his contract, he was "misled into
remaining silent and unfairly taking the brunt of the blame for misconceptions
about the broadcast."
He left CBS on June 16, 2006, after more than 40 years at the network. He
has since signed with HDNet, a cable network with limited distribution.
"Although now working, Mr. Rather's (on air) exposure is dramatically
limited and, accordingly, his reputation and standing in his trade and
profession have not recovered from the damage caused by the defendants'
conduct," court papers say.
CBS replied by saying: "Mr. Rather is trying to put forth fraud complaints
that the court has already determined to be legally unfounded. We believe he
will fail a second time. We will file an appropriate motion to dismiss."
Rather, earning $6 million when he left CBS, said the network also caused
him to lose other moneymaking opportunities, such as proposals for him to write
books and anchor syndicated radio shows.
Rather sued CBS Corp. last September, claiming he was booted out of his
evening news anchor post and given lesser assignments after controversy over a
September 2004 "60 Minutes II" report about Bush's military service.
The report, aired two months before the 2004 election, said Bush avoided
Vietnam military service by using his father's connections to get into the Texas
National Guard.
Once in the National Guard, the report said, Bush shirked and failed to
complete his duties.
A panel later formed to investigate the piece said the network "failed
miserably" to authenticate the memos on which the story was based.
CNN is owned by Time Warner Inc., ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co., NBC
is owned by General Electric Co., and Fox is a unit of News Corp.
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