Don Lemon’s case against Elon Musk ‘should be resolved’: Lawyer

(NewsNation) – Former CNN anchor Don Lemon has sued X owner Elon Musk, accusing the tech mogul of luring him into a TV deal – which was canceled before the pilot aired.

O lawsuit accuses billionaire Tesla of fraud, misappropriation of Lemon’s name, negligent misrepresentation and image and breach of express contract for “The Don Lemon Show.”

The first episode, a one-on-one interview with Musk, was marked by tension and sometimes difficult questions, bringing an end to the exclusive partnership. According to Variety ReportsMusk ended the proceedings via text message using the words “contract has been cancelled.”

But that’s the problem. Lemon’s lawsuit alleges that there was no written contract with X, a fact that shocked civil litigator and attorney Richard Schoenstein.

Schoenstein said Friday that the lack of written evidence will make it more difficult to prove Lemon’s claims that Musk used his “name, image, identity and reputation” before reneging on his “express agreement” and failing to “compensate him, citing false pretenses for violating the partnership agreement.”

“Don Lemon has basically three different categories of claims. He has breach of contract, he has allegations of fraud and he has misappropriation of image”, said Schoenstein on “Dan Abrams Live”. “Those are the three categories. Breach of contract claims are much more difficult because none of it is in writing.”

However, Lemon’s allegations are also not tied to what is in a written contract, which Schoenstein sees as a potential problem for the CEO.

Another aspect of the lawsuit is the former anchor’s claim that not only did he never make up at least $1.5 million a year, but he also put his own money into the project.

“If they had a partnership, which we think is pretty established, and he invested money in that venture and then Musk canceled it, that seems like the easiest money to get,” Schoenstein added.

In short, the lawsuit keeps Lemon and Musk’s names circulating in the press, leading Schoenstein to argue that the conflict is benefiting both.

“This should be resolved,” he said, clarifying that their celebrity status could change that. “It is hard to say.”

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story