SKY YORK JOURNAL News – A lawsuit has been filed against *The New York Times* by Justin Baldoni and others.
Dec. 31, 2024: Baldoni, Wayfarer & Others Sue The New York Times
Baldoni, Wayfarer, Heath, Sarowitz, Nathan, TAG, Abel, RWA Communications, Wallace and Street Relations filed a $250 million lawsuit against The New York Times Dec. 31.
The Core of the Dispute
The lawsuit, obtained by E!, accuses *The New York Times* of libel, false light invasion of privacy, promissory fraud, and breach of implied-in-fact contract. These accusations stem from an article published by the *Times* regarding an alleged retaliatory smear campaign purportedly conducted by the plaintiffs against Blake Lively, following her expressed concerns about on-set misconduct. According to the *SKY YORK JOURNAL*’s sources, the situation is complex and involves multiple perspectives.
Plaintiffs’ Rebuttal and Allegations
The plaintiffs vehemently deny the accusations, stating that the *New York Times* report was “false” and based on Lively’s complaint. They allege that messages cited in the article and complaint were taken out of context.
The lawsuit contends that the *New York Times* relied “almost entirely on Lively’s unverified and self-serving narrative,” while allegedly disregarding substantial evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives. “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 said, “lifting it nearly verbatim while disregarding an abundance of evidence that contradicted her claims and exposed her true motives.” According to court documents reviewed by the *SKY YORK JOURNAL*, the plaintiffs assert that Lively initiated the smear campaign, a claim she denies.
The New York Times’ Response
The New York Times has publicly stated its intention to “vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”
“The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead,” the publication stated to E!. “Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported. It was based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article.” The *SKY YORK JOURNAL* will continue to follow this developing story.
