2025-04-04 06:02:41.587

Justin Baldoni is responding to Blake Lively's motion to dismiss his lawsuit, accusing her of orchestrating a smear campaign to damage his reputation and career. Baldoni, co-founder of Wayfarer Studios, claims Lively participated in and directed the campaign, which he says was designed to ruin the reputations and careers of Wayfarer parties. This follows Lively's own lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and initiating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni's suit also names Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, and the New York Times, alleging Lively provided false information to the NYT about a PR sabotage operation as revenge for sexual harassment complaints. Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, stated that Lively cannot prevent Baldoni from exercising his right to clear his name and that Lively's actions set a dangerous precedent, violating the First Amendment. Freedman vowed to continue fighting against what he calls a blatant attempt to block access to the court system.

2025-03-20 06:02:52.044

A North Dakota jury ruled against Greenpeace, ordering the environmental group to pay Energy Transfer, a pipeline company, hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged defamation and the incitement of criminal behavior during protests against the Dakota Access pipeline in 2016 and 2017. Energy Transfer claimed Greenpeace orchestrated a misinformation campaign that fueled the protests. Greenpeace denied the allegations and stated that the lawsuit aimed to stifle peaceful protest. The jury awarded Energy Transfer at least $660 million, a sum Greenpeace says could bankrupt its US operations. Concerns were raised about the impartiality of the jury, with more than half having ties to the fossil fuel industry and expressing negative views of anti-pipeline protests. Greenpeace plans to appeal the verdict, arguing that the trial was unfair and that the massive award could have a chilling effect on free speech. The case has drawn attention from the non-profit community and First Amendment experts, with some characterizing it as a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) designed to silence critics. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which had also protested the pipeline, released a statement asserting their leadership of the protests and accusing Energy Transfer of seeking to silence their voices. Energy Transfer maintained that the verdict vindicated the rule of law and held Greenpeace accountable for disrupting the community.

2025-03-04 06:00:46.708

The anonymous woman who accused Jay-Z of rape in a since-dismissed lawsuit maintains her claims and alleges intimidation tactics. She claims she was approached by individuals claiming to be investigators for Jay-Z's lawyer, who pressured her to sign an affidavit recanting her rape allegations. She refused. The woman also states that her parents were similarly approached. She initially dropped the lawsuit out of fear of public backlash but denies fabricating the accusations. Jay-Z vehemently denies the allegations and is now suing the woman and her lawyer, claiming the rape story is false. The woman and her lawyer deny these allegations.