Close to two months since a high-profile spar ensued between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, the latter has been hit with another lawsuit, this time, by a crisis management firm. Jed Wallace of Street Relations filed a suit against Lively after she accused him of creating a “weaponised digital army” as part of a smear campaign against her during the promotion of the film It Ends with Us.
Wallace, who filed the complaint with the Texas federal court, seeks USD 7 million in damages, in addition to a court order stating that he has not sexually harassed the actress as she previously claimed. Last month, the Gossip Girl star requested an order at the Texas court to depose Wallace. He was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit filed by Lively against Baldoni.
In the suit filed by Wallace, Charles Babcock, his lawyer writes, “As Lively later admitted she knew of no facts to support the allegations. Neither Wallace nor Street had anything to do with the alleged sexual harassment, retaliation, failure to investigate or aiding and abetting the alleged harassment or alleged retaliation. Neither could they have breached a contract with Lively because no such contract exists.”
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Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter concerning the second lawsuit, Michael Gottlieb, leading Lively’s legal team said, “Another day, another state, another nine-figure lawsuit seeking to sue Ms. Lively ‘into oblivion’ for speaking out against sexual harassment and retaliation. This is not just a publicity stunt—it is transparent retaliation in response to allegations contained within a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint that Ms. Lively filed with the California Civil Rights Department. While this lawsuit will be dismissed, we are pleased that Mr. Wallace has finally emerged from the shadows, and that he too will be held accountable in federal court.”
Defending the Street Relations owner, Babcock told the publication, “Mr. Wallace, who is a very private person, has never met or spoken to Ms. Lively. Ever. He has not engaged in a smear campaign against her at any point in time. The decision to file this lawsuit to rightfully protect himself and his family was made after Ms. Lively not only filed against him first in Texas but, indicated she intended to name him in yet another lawsuit.”
