Posted on 10/08/124 by Colin Vassallo
Ann Callis, the attorney representing Janel Grant in her
lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE,
has asked WWE to release any employee, past or present, from
previously-signed non-disclosure agreements related to
sexual abuse so the victims can come forward.
The story, carried by the Associated Press, said that the
letter was addressed to WWE attorneys as well as the
attorneys of the two other plaintiffs.
In her letter, Callis said that if WWE and TKO are serious
about cleaning up the company and parting ways from Vince
McMahon and the toxic culture he created, they should have
no problem releasing employees from their NDAs.
“This is the first step to rehabilitating a company that
covered up decades of sexual assault and human trafficking,”
Callis wrote.
A copy of her letter was also sent to WWE President Nick
Khan, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque,
and Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.
The full letter can be read below:
Dear Mr. Toal, Ms. Rosenberg, and Mr. Brennan:
World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC (“WWE”) has said that it
“takes Ms. Grant’s allegations very seriously and has no
tolerance for any physical abuse or unwanted physical
contact.” In other words, WWE would like the world to
believe that it has reformed its workplace culture. But if
WWE is truly committed to change, it must allow survivors to
speak their truth without fear of reprisal. We call upon WWE
to publicly waive enforcement of its non-disclosure
agreements (“NDAs”) to allow its former and current
employees and contractors (including wrestlers contracted to
perform under the WWE brand) to speak out about sexual
misconduct, sexual assault, harassment, and workplace
aggression or disputes concerning the toxic culture at WWE.
This includes releasing women who signed NDAs related to
sexual misconduct by former CEO Vince McMahon, John
Laurinaitis and other WWE leadership and employees as
conditions of settlement.
The toxic and sexualized culture at WWE during Mr. McMahon’s
tenure as CEO and Chairman was open and notorious. Yet what
has been publicly reported is only part of the picture. We
have had witnesses come to us confidentially and describe a
sexualized culture at WWE that victimizes women and men. We
have received reports that many victims are currently afraid
to come forward because of punitive non-disclosure and
nondisparagement agreements. For example, as The Wall Street
Journal reported on July 8, 2022, Mr. McMahon paid over $12
million to at least four women to secure their silence about
his sexual misconduct. Our client is just one of an untold
many. We therefore also ask Vince McMahon and John
Laurinaitis to affirm that survivors and WWE employees who
witnessed abuse may speak about their experiences without
fear of retribution and retaliation.
WWE cannot move on from its sordid past while its victims
remain silenced. Survivors deserve an opportunity to share
their experiences on their terms. Forced silence only
deepens the wounds of sexual abuse. Survivors are
revictimized every time they are muzzled and forced to live
in fear of attack from a multi-billion-dollar business that
can hire an army of lawyers to bury them in legal fees if
they speak the truth. Even unenforceable NDAs, like the one
our client was coerced to sign, have a chilling effect
because individuals do not have the will or resources to
fight them. WWE must clarify that any NDAs that it has
entered are not intended to prevent disclosure of sexual
misconduct, abuse, or assault, and disclaim and waive any
claims it may have under those NDAs if current or former
employees and contractors choose to speak out.
We urge WWE to quickly and proactively release its current
and former employees and contractors from any obligations
under any WWE-executed NDA that would prevent them from
discussing sexual misconduct, abuse, or assault during their
time at WWE without delay. WWE wants people to believe the
company has changed—this is its chance to prove it.
Regards,
Ann E. Callis