The Vince McMahon Scandal Thread/Linda as Secretary of Education

[Skynet]

Good! Fuck him

[Dr. Zoidberg]

He has a 12 month no-compete clause, so February of next year he can finally join TNA.

[Bandit]

He has a 12 month no-compete clause, so February of next year he an finally join TNA.

I'll laugh if WWE owns his name so he has to be Victor McDoogal in TNA.

[Bandit]

[Bandit]

Vince McMahon’s attorneys file response to Janel Grant lawsuit
by Dave Meltzer

Attorneys for Vince McMahon today filed a response to the Janel Grant lawsuit and Grant’s side also responded to the claims.

The key aspects of the filing was that the claims of sexual abuse and coercion “are pure fiction,” disputing many of her claims in the lawsuit about her life and the relationship.

The key point they are arguing legally is that the NDA signed between McMahon and Grant would not have allowed such a lawsuit to be filed, and she violated the agreement. They did introduce evidence that had a provision that any dispute would have to be settled by arbitration.

The NDA agreement, which called for McMahon to pay Grant $3 million, contained a clause which stated, “By signing this agreement, Grant acknowledges that she will have waived any right she may have had to pursue or bring a lawsuit or make any legal claims against McMahon and/or WWE, and any of its directors, officers, employees, agents and representatives.”

McMahon’s attorneys, James A. Budinetz of Hartford, CT, and Jessica T. Rosenberg and Jonathan L. Shapiro of Kasowitz Benson Torres, LLP, filed the argument that the case, based on that wording, argue the case has to be decided in arbitration.

Essentially the key argument would look to be whether McMahon’s failure to make the $500,000 payments to Grant on February 1, 2023 and February 1, 2024, renders the NDA agreement clauses unenforceable. The agreement would have also called for $500,000 payments on February 1, 2025 and February 1, 2026.

This would explain why Grant’s attorney, Ann Callis, was attempting to get a ruling that the entire NDA would be thrown out.

McMahon’s attorneys claim that the agreement should remain in place. They acknowledged the second and third payments, after a $1 million first payment in 2022, weren’t paid. They said it was “because Plaintiff (Grant) failed to comply with her confidentiality obligations (which she breached by disclosing her relationship with Defendant), Defendant did not pay her the first of the four $500,000 installments.”

The response stated, “Then, rather than sue Defendant for breach of contract in arbitration, in complete disregard of the clear terms of the Agreement and her obligations thereunder, Plaintiff initiated the action on January 25, 2024, alleging various causes of action against Defendant, WWE, and defendant John Laurinaitis.”

McMahon’s attorneys wrote that “the allegations in the Complaint are replete with falsehoods, misstatements and irresponsible mischaracterizations of the Parties’ relationship.”

The filing stated that the two had a consensual relationship and McMahon never coerced Grant into doing anything and never mistreated her in any way.

They pointed to the love letter Grant wrote to McMahon shortly before the end of the relationship, which was first reported in the New York Post. Their argument is that love letters, including the one reported on inthe Post, were written months after many of the claims made in the lawsuit. They claim this is an indication that the relationship couldn’t have been what the Grant lawsuit claimed.

Callis claimed in the New York Post story that her client was instructed by McMahon to write the letter and it would not be an indication of such.

McMahon’s attorneys in the filing stated that, “It is incredulous that Plaintiff, a then 42-year-old woman who claims on her resume to have a law degree from Pace University, would have written those words to Defendant months after all the events in the Complaint of alleged abuse, coercion and `sex-trafficking’ took place.”

“Frankly it’s pretty disgusting that Vince’s weeks-late attempt to defend his horrendous behavior – behavior he claims to this day never happened – is to try to showcase letters that Vince himself coerced her to write,” said Callis. “His psychological torture of her continues–as is typical of abusive predators who respond to women speaking out with increased threats. While Janel isn’t a stranger to his intimidation tactics, this is a new low even for him.”

A spokesperson for Grant also stated regarding the love letter first released to the New York Post, “Janel was directly asked by Vince on several occasions to write him love letters, especially at the end of the year. This was frequent enough that she needed to seek out existing written material to lift from to appease him, including:

1) An interview between MGK + Megan Fox in GQ, which said, “The carnal component is clearly off the charts, but they can also be sweet and funny” and “in love with a capital L”

2) The 1947 film “The Bishop’s Wife,” which said, “There are few people who know the secret of making a heaven here on earth. You are one of those rare people.”

The spokesperson said, “In other letters she quoted John Stamos in a Howard Stern interview and Sarah Paulson re: Holland Taylor.

“As detailed in the complaint, Vince was constantly asking for content to pleasure himself and his ego, including pictures, videos and love letters. She was at his beck and call.

A spokesperson for Grant also noted the messages sent by Grant after having surgery on her finger where she said, “How will I write your letter?,” “I can type and read it…or try to write in a couple days”and “I’m so sorry if I mess this up, I want you to have a nice letter.”

The spokesperson indicated that as evidence that the letters were something he had asked for.

“This tactic is not novel for victims of manipulation and control,” said the spokesperson. “Within the last few months, Sam Bankman-Fried had his bail revoked for attempting to intimidate Caroline Ellison as a witness by leaking her personal letters. Disgraced R-Kelly regularly encouraged his victims to publicly display his love and defend him, later coming out and recanting those, citing his extreme level of manipulation and coercion over them.”

The filing also disputed the claim that Grant was dealing from grief from her parents’ death and struggling financially after years of devoting around-the-clock care giving to her parents.

They wrote in the filing that Grant’s father, Anthony Grant, passed away on April 18, 2017, two years before Grant met McMahon. They did not have a date of when her mother, Jane Grant, passed away other than stating her father was widowed at the time of the death, meaning her mother passed away previously.

They disputed her claim of around-the-clock care giving, stating her father lived in a senior care home in Stamford, CT, prior to passing away, and not with her.

“Vince McMahon has never known a storyline that he doesn’t twist to fit his own shameful narrative,” said Callis. “Her father was in in-home hospice during his final days where Janel continued to care for him around the clock. Prior to his death, she had been caring for her blind, wheelchair-bound mother. Using the grief of someone who lost both of her parents is an all new level of disgusting.”

The filing also categorized the relationship as one where both parties were aware the other was involved in a romantic relationship at the same time. There was no mention of another McMahon relationship, although obviously he was and is still married.

The filing stated that Grant, when they met, was living in Park Tower, a luxury multi-million-dollar building in Stamford, CT, with her long-time fiancé, attorney, Brian Goncalves, who is currently the Senior Vice President and Chief Privacy Officer of TelevisaUnivision. Goncalves would have taken that position after she and Grant had broken up. They list him as having held positions with Mastercard and Hewlett-Packard, and they lived four floors below McMahon when he and Grant began what the filing called an affair in 2019.

The filing claimed that Grant would often visit McMahon at his condominium to pursue their affair and return back to Goncalves the same night.

His attorneys argued, “It is nonsensical that the disturbing alleged acts in the Complaint including violence, coerced sex, and forcing Plaintiff to be defecated on were taking place before Plaintiff returned to her lawyer fiancé four floors below without incident.”

They also noted that McMahon was never contacted by Goncalves, who was on the Board of Directors of the luxury building, anyone at the building, the police, friends of Grant or any lawyer or advocate for Grant about what they called “the fictitious, extensive, years-long abusive behavior alleged in the Complaint.”

Callis claimed that Grant and Goncalves were in a relationship at the time.

Callis said, “She was not dating at the time. Her ex-boyfriend allowed her to stay in the apartment as she rebuilt her life and resume post-taking care of her parents. She had no job and no other financial support to lean back on.” McMahon’s attorneys characterized the breakup of a three year affair where the two decided to return to their respective partners in January, 2022, they ended a consensual affair, left each other, and Grant left WWE.

They claimed that Grant initially wanted to include a term in the agreement signed mandating that McMahon could not move out of the building but McMahon refused to include that and moved out.

“When Defendant learned that Plaintiff, despite her promises, had violated the Agreement by wrongfully disclosing both the existence of the Agreement, and their relationship, he exercised his contractual right to withhold payment otherwise owed under the Agreement. In response, Plaintiff sought to harm him. She intentionally violated the enforceable contract with her salacious, false and defamatory public filing.”

Vince McMahon, under penalty of perjury, stated that he had a three-year consensual relationship with Grant.
In the filing, he stated, “When our relationship ended, we entered into a contract entitled Confidential Settlement Agreement, General Release and Covenant Not to Sue.”
He also said, “Our respective attorneys in the Agreement’s negotiation, Plaintiff herself negotiated the. monetary compensation that I would pay her under the .Agreement from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000.”

On or about January 27, 2022, McMahon claimed Grant’s attorney at the time, not Callis, proposed changes to the agreement, which included, “In the event of a claim of breach under this Agreement by any party that results in arbitration or any legal proceeding, the prevailing party, as determined by the tribunal or Court, shall recover from the non-party(ies) all of its resulting costs and attorneys fees”
The claim is in the agreement, Grant agreed she would not disclose, discuss or reveal any claims against, or information about, McMahon, her relationship with McMahon, WWE, or any employees or independent contractors of WWE, to third parties, on social media, in any public forum, or to any member of the media, nor the existence of the agreement, terms of the agreement, or the amount paid to her, to anyone in any public forum or to the media, and could only disclose the amounts paid to her attorney and tax advisors if they agree to maintain the confidentiality of the information.

The claim is that Grant acknowledged that any disclosure of the matters would do irreparable harm to McMahon and to WWE and would defeat their purpose in entering into this Agreement.

It also stated Grant agrees that any such disclosures will cause and result in the nonpayment of any monies otherwise due under this Agreement, and Grant further promises to return to McMahon all monies paid to her by McMahon pursuant to this Agreement prior to any such disclosure by Grant.

The agreement was also that Grant, nor attorneys acting on her behalf, or an agent, spokesperson or representative of her, will make any disparaging remarks about McMahon and/or WWE to third parties, on social media, in any public forum or to any member of the media.

The term disparaging remarks meant any statements, actions or insinuations that would tend to lessen the standing or reputation of a company or individual in the eyes of an ordinary citizen, or which would expose a company or individual to embarrassment or scorn.

[Big Boss Man]

I watched the F4W Youtube clip where Bryan & Mike were talking about it. From what I understand, I believe Janel Grant was the first woman to speak out, maybe it was anonymously at first, which lead to the whole investigation into Vince & discovery of the NDA's & hush money. So his team's argument is that she's violated her NDA, insinuating she's lying about certain important facts & that it's all fabrication. Like Bryan said I don't think this will make trial, it could. Really Janel Grant needs the support of the other women who signed NDA's especially the former WWE Diva and whomever Ashley Massaro told about what happened, as it's an example of the type of company culture that existed then. Most likely though, they'll be a settlement & I won't be surprised if they bring Vince McMahon back down the line, as honorary president, or figurehead or some such, yet with him offloading all his shares, who knows.

[Ocelot]

Oh I'd be willing to bet the asshole's still working behind the scenes somehow, deep deep in the black.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Bandit]

[Bandit]

[Dr. Zoidberg]

Vince probably has hip/knee issues from lifting weights. I doubt he would fake frailty, he wouldn't want to be seen as weak.

"Can you stop ruining every moment that we share together."

A lovers tiff.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

[Big Boss Man]

WWE are now supporting Vince, I won't be surprised if he's already back anyway.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/wwe- ... t-lawsuit/

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I doubt he's back. WWE just don't want it to be heard in public court, because they know it will make them look bad.

[Ocelot]

It would not surprise me in the slightest if Vince was masterminding the WWE again, which explains why it has become so meh lately

[Dr. Zoidberg]

He sold all of his shares, he could only come back if TKO wanted him back, and they don't want him to return. He's old and past it. And I doubt HHH would want to give Vince control back.

[Bandit]

I doubt he's back. WWE just don't want it to be heard in public court, because they know it will make them look bad.

Exactly. There's several other employees (Laurinitis, Brock and one of the physical therapists) involved with her too. Plus Nick Khan may have known and he's the new CEO.

[Ocelot]

It's wrestling I put nothing past Vince. Nothing.

[Big Boss Man]

Janel Grant & her legal team really should look into other accusations & get others to speak out in support. Tell their stories, especially if they include similar patterns of his behaviour. Which would help strengthen her case. How many others were brushed under the carpet, paid off anonymously etc is what you have to wonder.

[Ocelot]

My question is - are they looking to get Vince jailed or to get paid? That's what'll dictate their moves.