Dan Rather is seeking $20 million in compensatory damages and $50 million in punitive damages in a lawsuit against his former employer CBS, over a controversial story about President Bush, which led to him leaving the network.
According to the lawsuit, Rather suffered significant financial loss and serious damage to his reputation due to what he claims was an intentional mishandling of an investigation into a September 2004 “60 Minutes” story dealing with President George W. Bush’s service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.
Rather, who first joined CBS News in 1962, claims CBS conducted a biased investigation – instead of the independent probe it promised into the underlying story and its production – with “controlled timing and predetermined conclusions in order to prevent further information concerning Bush’s TexANG service from being uncovered.”
The lawsuit alleges the network informed Rather on the day after Bush was reelected – Nov. 3, 2004 – that he was being terminated as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” in an effort to “purge itself from responsibility and the political repercussions stemming from the broadcast.” His last broadcast as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” was on March 9, 2005.
Source: CNN
