The Grammy-winning artist's attorneys file a motion to get the lawsuit by her former clothing designer Asha Daniels tossed out, claiming it meritless and salacious.'
- Dec 19, 2023
AceShowbiz - Lizzo has called for dismissal against a harassment and discrimination lawsuit made by Asha Daniels, a former clothing designer of her tour. The Grammy-winning artist's attorneys filed a motion to get the lawsuit tossed out, claiming it "meritless and salacious."
In the legal documents, which was filed on Friday, December 15 in a Los Angeles court, the "About Damn Time" hitmaker's legal team claimed that Daniels "failed to perform the work that she was assigned and, eventually, just played hooky and refused to show up for work." It was also said that the designer was fired after "abandoning her post" on the day of Lizzo's concert in Paris, France.
As for the reason why they wanted the lawsuit to be dismissed, the attorneys cited two reasons, one of which was that it was filed in the wrong location." The legal team additionally pointed out that Daniels "is a New York resident who worked for a Delaware corporation in Europe," meaning that she "has alleged no nexus to California.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles attorney Ron Zambrano, who is representing Daniels, called the motion "another Hail Mary by Lizzo’s team to try to shift blame to the victims, as she has done to the three other plaintiffs who have sued her for similar allegations of harassment, disability discrimination and retaliatory termination."
Of the "Juice" singer, he continued in a statement, "Lizzo and her lawyers can continue trying to rationalize her illegal and wretched conduct but we remain committed to seeking justice for our clients, and look forward to our day in court where Lizzo can explain her behavior in a public forum."
In her lawsuit against Lizzo and her team, Daniels alleged that Lizzo's employees were forced to work in a “racist and sexualized” environment despite the singer's online preach about body positivity and inclusion. She accused the star alongside her wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura and her tour manager Carlina Gugliotta of making racist and fat-phobic remarks. She also claimed that they denied her medical care, leading to anxiety and PTSD.
"I felt like I was living in a madhouse. It was totally shocking. I was listening to this Black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others. And I was witnessing myself, the dancers and the background vocalists and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly," Daniels shared with NBC News at the time.
