ESPN offers Sage Steele $501,000 to settle her free speech lawsuit – but the host WON’T accept

SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele seems disinclined to settle her lawsuit with ESPN following the network’s settlement offer.

Steele, 50, sued ESPN and its parent company Walt Disney Co. in April 2022 over allegations that the network violated its right to free speech in the wake of its comments on the Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

walt disney co. last week offered the host $501,000 and “reasonable” attorney fees to settle the lawsuit, according to Sports front office.

However, her attorney Bryan Freedman has indicated that Steele will not accept the settlement offer while the mediation is ongoing.

He also called on the company for “double standards” and claimed that Disney would not accept a settlement from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Steele, 50, sued ESPN and its parent company Walt Disney Co. in April 2022 over allegations that the network violated its rights to free speech

walt disney co. offered the host $501,000 and to cover “reasonable” attorney fees

Disney and ESPN clearly admit they are responsible by paying Sage Steele more than half a million dollars for having her right to free speech taken away. The offer misses the mark. Disney cannot buy their employees’ constitutional rights, no matter how powerful they think they are,” Freedman said in a statement via FOS.

“What about apologizing and treating people fairly? Let me put it this way, would Disney be willing to accept money from the state of Florida and Governor DeSantis in exchange for silence? Why the double standard?’

The feud between DeSantis and Disney began last year after the company publicly opposed legislation related to a bill criticized by critics as “Don’t Say Gay.”

Steele last year sued ESPN for violating her right to free speech after sitting on the bench for publicly criticizing her employer’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and former President Barack Obama’s decision to call herself black.

Steele, who is bi-racial, claimed the network temporarily benched her and forced her to apologize after her comments.

They were made in September 2021 on former NFL player Jay Cutler’s Uncut podcast and sparked controversy online and in the press.

“I work for a company that mandates it and I had until September 30 to get it done or I’m out,” Steele told former quarterback Cutler in his podcast.

“I respect everyone’s decision, I really do, but to force it is sick and it’s scary for me in many ways,” Steele continued.

Lawyers for presidential candidate Ron DeSantis filed a motion asking a federal judge to dismiss Disney’s lawsuit against Florida governor

Steele (pictured in September on Jay Cutler’s podcast) claims she was benched for publicly criticizing her employer’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate and former President Barack Obama’s decision to call herself black

“I’m just not surprised it’s come to this, especially with Disney, I mean such a global company.”

The suit, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journalclaimed that ESPN retaliated against Steele by taking away “first orders” and failing to end bullying and harassment by her co-workers.

The SportsCenter host also accused ESPN of taking action against her based on “inaccurate third-party accounts of Steele’s comments, and that the network did not immediately review the actual comments or the context in which they were made.”

ESPN denied that Steele was suspended and that she has remained on the air while the lawsuit is ongoing.

The network filed its settlement proposal in Connecticut state court last week with attorneys from ESPN and Disney writing that the offer “should not be construed as an admission that defendants are liable for any of the claims made in this lawsuit, or that the plaintiff suffered any loss. damage as a result of any of those claims.’

It appears that Steele will not accept the settlement and the trial will begin in March 2024.