Blake Vigorous has been sued by a disaster administration agency, which she claims performed a key position in Justin Baldoni’s alleged smear marketing campaign towards her.
On Tuesday, Jed Wallace of Avenue Relations filed a criticism in a Texas federal court docket obtained by The Submit, accusing Vigorous of defamation for entangling him in her authorized battle together with her “It Ends With Us” co-star. Wallace’s go well with facilities on Vigorous’s earlier claims that he allegedly created faux content material on social media that appeared to focus on her whereas supporting Baldoni.
Wallace is searching for a minimal of $7 million in damages, together with a court docket ruling affirming that he didn’t sexually harass or retaliate towards the actress.
The lawsuit arrived the identical day Vigorous withdrew a petition submitted on Jan. 21 in Texas state court docket that, if granted, would have ordered Wallace to be deposed.
Vigorous’s submitting claimed that Wallace “weaponized a digital army around the country, including in New York and Los Angeles, to create, seed, manipulate, and advance disparaging content that appeared to be authentic on social media platforms and internet chat forums,” per KSAT 12 Information.
The actress should add Wallace to the checklist of defendants in her federal lawsuit filed in New York towards Baldoni and his firm, Wayfarer Studios.
Wallace’s lawsuit facilities on Vigorous’s California Civil Rights Criticism, which accused him of sexual harassment, retaliation and aiding and abetting harassment and retaliation.
“As Lively later admitted she knew of no facts to support the allegations,” Charles Babcock, a lawyer for Wallace, writes within the go well with.
“Neither Wallace nor Street had anything to do with the alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate or aiding and abetting the alleged harassment or alleged retaliation. Neither could they have breached a contract with Lively because no such contract exists.”
Vigorous’s earlier petition acknowledged that Wallace referred to himself as a “hired gun” and claimed to have a “proprietary formula for defining artists and trends.” Wallace was reportedly employed by disaster publicist Melissa Nathan from The Company Group.
Included within the lawsuit was a textual content message that Nathan reportedly despatched to Jennifer Abel, one other of Baldoni’s publicists, she allegedly requested, “Can I start a Signal thread with you, me and Jed?” The message allegedly implicates Wallace within the supposed smear marketing campaign towards Vigorous.
Baldoni’s authorized crew beforehand denied the accusation of a coordinated smear marketing campaign towards Vigorous.
“Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation,” attorneys for Vigorous stated in a press release to The Submit, responding to Wallace’s lawsuit.
“This is not just a publicity stunt—it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms. Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department. While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court,” her authorized crew stated.
Attorneys for Wallace didn’t instantly reply to The Submit’s request for remark.
