CBS Files Motion to Dismiss Rather Lawsuit

Motion Called Lawsuit 'Bizarre,' Having 'No Resemblance to Reality'

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/16/2007 11:24:00 AM

CBS filed a motion to dismiss Dan Rather's $70 million lawsuit against the company.

Calling the suit "a regrettable attempt ... to settle old scores and perceived slights," the company filed its motion Thursday in New York Supreme Court.

Rather named CBS CEO Leslie Moonves, Viacom head Sumner Redstone and former CBS News chief Andrew Heyward in the suit, which seeks compensatory and punitive damages for, among other things, breach of contract.

Rather claimed that he was forced to step down as anchor of CBS Evening News and scapegoated after a 60 Minutes II report he anchored about President Bush's Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard was revealed to have relied on unsubstantiated documents. He further alleged that CBS violated his contract by severely curtailing his airtime on 60 Minutes.

Three CBS News were producers were asked to resign in the wake of the scandal and segment producer Mary Mapes was fired.

Rather currently anchors a series of news specials called Dan Rather Reports on Mark Cuban's HDNet, which has approximately 6 million subscribers.

The withering 25-page motion characterized Rather's claims as having "no resemblance to reality."