A legal case against Linda McMahon, former leader of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and nominee for the Education Department role, has been temporarily paused by a federal judge.
The case accuses Linda McMahon, once head of WWE and nominated for the Education Department, of failing to address allegations that children working ringside at WWE events in the 1980s were sexually abused. Judge James Bredar in Maryland’s federal district court has halted proceedings while awaiting a decision from the Maryland Supreme Court, which heard arguments in September.
The allegations question McMahon’s knowledge and actions regarding a WWE ringside announcer accused of preying on underage boys. This pause could affect McMahon’s potential Senate confirmation process, though she firmly denies the accusations.
The lawsuit gained momentum after Maryland’s recent legislative change, lifting the statute of limitations for lawsuits related to child sex abuse. However, other organizations facing similar lawsuits are challenging this law, seeking to avoid facing long-past allegations. The Maryland Supreme Court is set to make a ruling on this matter.
The lawsuit asserts that McMahon, her husband, WWE, and its parent company TKO Group Holdings, knowingly allowed an employee, Melvin Phillips Jr., to exploit children under the guise of his job. The accusations pertain to the time when Phillips worked as a prominent ringside announcer, a position he held through the 1970s to the 1990s, before his death in 2012.
Filed in Baltimore County, Maryland, in October, the suit represents five individuals, now adults, who allege they were recruited by Phillips as “Ring Boys,” responsible for setting up wrestling rings at events. They claim to have endured both mental and emotional trauma due to the alleged abuse. Lawyers for McMahon and WWE maintain that the claims against them are false.
The lawsuit details that the McMahons were reportedly aware of Phillips’ suspicious behavior towards young boys as early as the mid-1980s. Despite this, the suit claims he was fired and subsequently rehired within a short period.
Both Linda and Vince McMahon’s legal representatives have requested the case be paused for reasons of “judicial efficiency and economy” and plan to contest the Maryland law if the case proceeds. This request aligns with broader efforts to examine the validity and impact of Maryland’s new legislation regarding historic abuse cases.
The ongoing legal proceedings involving Linda McMahon are complex, hinging on matters of historical accountability and legislative changes. The outcome, pending a Maryland Supreme Court decision, may have significant implications for all parties involved, shaping the discourse on handling allegations of historical abuse.
Source: CNN
