Posted on 06/07/2023 3:04:42 PM PDT by dynachrome
Fox News Wednesday notified Tucker Carlson's lawyers that the former prime-time anchor violated his contract with the network when he launched his own Twitter show on Tuesday, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: A breach of contract claim sets Fox News up to explore potential legal action against Carlson, a move that would intensify the already thorny public battle between the two parties.
Carlson’s lawyers told Axios that any legal action by Fox would violate his First Amendment rights.
“Fox defends its very existence on freedom of speech grounds. Now they want to take Tucker Carlson’s right to speak freely away from him because he took to social media to share his thoughts on current events," said Carlson's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, in a statement to Axios.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Tucker knew he was breaching by starting an independent broadcast. He obviously thinks it’s worthwhile to give up the $25 million bonus to do this.
I hope he really does well.
“Fox people are scum.”
Entertainment-media people are scum.
They’re trying to enforce a non-compete. Good luck on that.
Yeah, what’s Fox’s damages? They are paying him not to speak, so they earn no revenue from him anyway. So they stop paying him his salary, they recoup their damages. Unless there is a clause that he has to pay them if he leaves...?
They are scum beyond words.
Online Free video which Tucker was not paid is a violation of his contract? WOW?
Time to boycott Fox entirely.
The powers that be want to muzzle TC.
1/2 Glenn Greenwald
“This is pathetic of Fox. They fired Carlson, and now their position is: he’s not allowed to speak.
He didn’t go to a competing network. He has no contract with Twitter. He’s just speaking on social media.
And to Fox, that’s cause to threaten to sue him. They want him quiet:”
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1666557077760688128
2/2 Glenn Greenwald
“Ideology played a big role in Carlson’s firing.
He was increasingly at odds with GOP establishment dogma. His primary targets, besides CIA/FBI, were the Mitch McConnells and Lindsey Grahams, along with Biden’s Ukraine war policy.
Fox wants to re-boost the GOP establishment.”
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1666557568011890688
Or Deep State is trying to rehabilitate Carlson.
We’ll see.
In the meantime, still won’t watch either.
Musk should cover the 25 bills so Tucker is free to compete.
Not really. Again...
Glenn Greenwald
“This is pathetic of Fox. They fired Carlson, and now their position is: he’s not allowed to speak.
He didn’t go to a competing network. He has no contract with Twitter. He’s just speaking on social media.
And to Fox, that’s cause to threaten to sue him. They want him quiet:”
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1666557077760688128
I thought his contract would keep him away from the public scene for a couple of years, but a Freeper lawyer posted some information about a legal principle called "constructive breach of contract."
Basically, it says Tucker Carlson is free to breach his contract -- and the only recourse FOX has is to not pay him for the remainder of his contract. FOX will have a hard time demonstrating that they've suffered any monetary damages as a result of this breach.
Huh? Fox is saying Tucker fired himself?
FOX breached Tucker’s contract when they denied him control over his broadcast and would not allow him to show the devastating January 6th evidence he had.
He contracted for millions less than he could have gotten for control of his own content, and they reneged on that deal.
“because he took to social media to share his thoughts”
His lawyer does have a point. His non-compete clause is probably pretty general, but it can’t stop him from simply speaking, or appearing in a public forum and speaking.
Now once he monetizes it, then it’s a business venture and not just him “sharing his thoughts” any more. He may be in trouble then, I don’t know.
My understanding of the situation is that they just took him off the air, but they hadn’t fired him. He was still eligible for that $25 million, if he remained until the end of his contract. He decided that he was willing to forego the $25 million to start his own broadcast.
I do recognize that Murdoch pulled him because he was telling too many truths that were too close to those with a vested interest in not having those truths revealed. I also recognize that Fox was acting in bad faith.
I also hope that Tucker gets ahead of it in the long-run. He’s an asset.
Tucker just forced their hand, there’s never been any doubt this will end up in court.k
I like Carlson, but I tire of the “first amendment” argument.
The 1A expressly states “Congress”. It does not say Fox or NYT or the Hicksville Plain Dealer must abide by those ideals. It applies to being thrown in jail and otherwise ruined by government, not to suffering the consequences of speaking in general or of contracts.
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