NEW YORK: Dan Rather is suing two CBS executives over his ejection as the anchor of the “CBS Evening News.” Rather filed suit against CBS CEO Les Moonves and Andrew Heyward, former president of CBS News, in New York State Supreme Court, several published reports indicate. The maneuver is designed to include the executives as defendants in Rather’s $70 million lawsuit against CBS.
Rather claims he was scapegoated by the network after his 2004 report on then President George Bush’s military record turned out to be unverified. Rather had been the CBS News anchor for 24 years. He’s charging CBS with breach of contract. CBS has tried to get the lawsuit dismissed.
Rather filed suit two years ago, naming Moonves and Heyward as defendants, but a judge dismissed claims made against them in April 2008. A statement from CBS reportedly called the latest lawsuit a “charade” and a “tiresome plea for attention.”
Rather now produces a one-hour newscast on Mark Cuban’s HDNet.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
