Craig James Sues Fox Sports Alleging Network Fired Him Over Anti-Gay Religious Beliefs

[TexasTowelie]

Former football analyst Craig James, who currently works as a radio host for the anti-gay Family Research Council, has filed a lawsuit against Fox Sports alleging the network fired him based on his religious beliefs opposing same-sex marriage.

James, who is represented by the anti-gay Liberty Institute, reportedly filed the lawsuit in state district court in Dallas on Monday morning.

Breitbart Texas reports:

“Fox Sports fired James for one reason only: his religious beliefs about marriage,” the 35-page suit charges. “In so doing, Fox Sports violated the law. Specifically, Fox Sports violated the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (‘TCHRA’) and Texas contract law along with a myriad of equitable principles.” …

“This is very troubling as an employee when your boss holds against you something you said about your belief system nearly eighteen months before you were recruited and hired,” James told Breitbart Sports in an exclusive interview. “I said nothing about my belief system on the air at Fox Sports. So, the fact that they reached back in my past nearly eighteen months and responded to a comment about my biblical belief in natural marriage as a candidate—that’s troubling.”

Fox Sports hired the former SMU and New England Patriots running back after his unsuccessful bid for one of Texas’ U.S. Senate seats in 2012 in which the candidate responded to a question about gay marriage by stating, “I’m a guy that believes in a man and a woman,” and urging Christians to “stand up” on the issue. During the discussion of gay marriage, James asserted: “God’s going to judge each one of us in this room for our actions.”

In September 2013, three days after hiring James, Fox Sports Southwest announced it was firing him. A Fox spokesman reportedly told The Dallas Morning News that the network let James go after learning of his anti-gay statements during his Senate campaign.

“We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department,” the Fox spokesman reportedly said. “He couldn’t say those things here.”

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2015/08/craig-james-discrimiantion/

[TexasTowelie]

1. Another sue-happy Republican jerk who doesn't realize that with freedom of speech

there are consequences.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Fox Sports responds to Craig James’ ‘baseless’ religious discrimination lawsuit

Scott Grogin, senior vice president of communications for Fox Networks Group , said late Monday in a statement sent to The Dallas Morning News that “as we have previously stated, Craig James is a polarizing figure in the college sports community and the decision not to use him in our college football coverage was based on the perception that he abused a previous on-air position to further a personal agenda. The decision had nothing to do with Mr. James’ religious beliefs and we did not discriminate against Mr. James in any way. The allegations are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them.”

Grogin is referring to James’ role in Mike Leach’s ouster as Texas Tech football coach after James, then an ESPN analyst, claimed that Leach was mistreating his son.

James, who is being represented by the Plano-based Liberty Institute, maintains that what he said as a political candidate should have no bearing on his role as a football analyst. He also says that, look, he said that stuff about marriage in February 2012. If Fox Sports didn’t like it, they didn’t have to hire him more than a year later, only to fire him in a matter of days.

“This case is much bigger than me,” James says in a prepared statement. “It affects every person who holds religious beliefs. I will not let Fox Sports trample my religious liberty. Today, many people have lost their jobs because of their faith. Sadly, countless are afraid to let their bosses know they even have a faith. This is America, and I intend to make sure Fox Sports knows they aren’t above the law.”

Read more: http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/2015/08/two-years-after-abrupt-firing-craig-james-sues-fox-sports-claiming-religious-discrimination.html/

[frylock]

3. I thought it was because Craig James killed five hookers during his time at SMU..

allegedly.