Sports Center Anchor Sage Steel ESPN Network and its parent company, Walt Disney Co., are suing him for retaliation for controversial comments made in a podcast interview.
As previously reported, during a 2021 interview on the podcast “Uncut with J. Cutler,” Sage steel, 49, questioned the COVID-19 vaccine mandate and commented on the former president Barack Obama Marked as black instead of biracial. Speaking of Obama and the biracial community, Steel-Who also said biracial,
“If they force you to choose a race, what are you going to do? Well, both. He’s’ well, you can’t. Barack Obama has chosen Black and he is Biral. ‘ I congratulate the president, that’s his business. I think it’s interesting to note that her black dad was nowhere to be found but her white mother and grandmother raised her, but okay. You you you. I will do it. ‘
Sage Steel
ESPN’s Sage Steel clip says Obama’s “Black Daddy Nowhere to Be Found” Goes Viral pic.twitter.com/JAfV5U6Y4W
– Backup Account (JasmineBrandTHE) October 4, 2021
Before catching the Covid-19 itself, Sage Steel Said vaccine was a mandate policy “Sick” And that’s him “I didn’t want to” Get vaccinated – but that’s the end of it.
Now, Sports Anchor is suing its employers, ESPN and Walt Disney Co., for violating its right to free speech. The lawsuit alleges that ESPN retaliated Sage Steel Take away ‘Main Assignment’ And failing to stop alleged hooliganism and harassment from his colleagues and to publicly apologize to him. The Sports Center The host also accused ESPN of taking action against him,
“Steele’s comments were incorrect third-party accounts, and the network did not immediately review the actual comments or the context in which they were made.”
According to the report, in 2017, ESPN enacted a rule requiring employees to refrain from commenting on political matters without direct connection to the sport. Steele claims his case “Selective Application” Of this rule. The lawsuit alleges that ESPN,
“Connecticut violates the law and Steel’s right to freedom of speech is based on a flawed understanding of its comments and a non-existent, unapplied workplace policy that is nothing more than an excuse.”
Allegedly, Connecticut law prohibits companies from disciplining employees to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of expression unless their statements
“Materially interferes with their performance or working relationship with the company. ”
Sage Steel He argued that since his comments were made on a third party podcast, he should be considered a private citizen in this situation.
Sage Steel
In addition, Steele cited other examples where ESPN colleagues made political comments on broadcast and online, but were not punished by the network. Sage Steel Seeking indefinite damages for this case.
In response to the lawsuit, ESPN issued a statement saying:
“Sage is a valuable contributor to some of ESPN’s top profile content, including the recent Masters Telecast and our afternoon sports center anchoring. In fact, he was never suspended. “
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