CBS seeks ejection of Rather suit

CBS has responded to the lawsuit that Dan Rather filed in September (9/19/07 TVBR #184), asking a New York court to toss it out because the former anchor waited too long to file. The network also calls his allegations that CBS tried to make his a scapegoat and violated his contract "an array of far-fetched allegations."

The motion that CBS filed last week notes that New York has a one-year statute of limitations for defamation lawsuits. Rather filed his lawsuit more than two years after he stepped down as anchor of the "CBS Evening News." The network says all of the claims made by Rather came too late, so the case should be dismissed. Also, though, it insists that "CBS did not breach any obligations to Rather."

The former anchor's lawyers are still expecting the case to go to trial. "It is unfortunate that CBS is trying to delay discovery of the facts and a trial of Dan's claims. We are confident the court will reject these tactics and allow the case to go forward," they said in a statement.

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