Imus to Sue CBS Despite Racist Remarks
Radio host Don Imus plans to sue CBS Radio to try to collect the $40 million balance of his five-year contract, despite having been fired April 12 for making racist remarks.
With the help of First Amendment legal eagle Martin Garbus of Davis & Gilbert in New York, the shock jock plans to seek to recover his $10 million annual pay, contending that he was fired in violation of his contractual rights, reports Fortune.
CBS says Imus was properly fired for cause. But a source told the magazine that Imus is suing based on contractual language that encouraged him to be irreverent and confrontational on-air. Plus, an unusual so-called one-bite clause in the contract allegedly required Imus to be warned – once – about bad language before being terminated.