Jessica Rosenberg, attorney for former WWE CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon, issued a statement today following the news that John Laurinaitis has been dismissed as a defendant in the lawsuit filed by former WWE employee Janel Grant. The lawsuit, which includes serious allegations against McMahon and WWE, continues with them as the remaining defendants.
Rosenberg’s statement firmly reiterates McMahon’s denial of any wrongdoing and seeks to underscore that Laurinaitis’s previous stance supported McMahon. The full statement reads:
“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged. As Mr. Laurinaitis’s lawyer previously said: ‘Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded.’”
This response from McMahon’s legal team comes after court filings earlier on Wednesday indicated Laurinaitis’s removal from the case. Representatives for Janel Grant stated to POST Wrestling that Laurinaitis had agreed to a confidential settlement and would “cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE.” Grant’s team characterized this as a “pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable.” The dismissal of claims against Laurinaitis was filed “with prejudice,” meaning Grant cannot refile those specific claims against him.
The statement from McMahon’s attorney highlights a notable contrast: while Rosenberg references a previous assertion from Laurinaitis’s lawyer that he corroborated McMahon’s denials, Janel Grant’s representatives now state Laurinaitis will cooperate with Grant’s case against McMahon and WWE.
Janel Grant’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, alleges she was a victim of sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and sex trafficking by Vince McMahon during her employment with WWE. The amended complaint also included allegations of sexual assault against both McMahon and Laurinaitis. WWE as a company is accused of negligence regarding the alleged abuse.
Vince McMahon has consistently denied the allegations made by Grant since the lawsuit was filed. John Laurinaitis, through his attorney prior to this dismissal, had also previously denied Grant’s claims of sexual abuse and coercion.
The case is ongoing, with McMahon and WWE remaining as defendants. It is expected that their legal teams will file motions by June 13 to move the case out of public court and into private arbitration, based on an arbitration clause reportedly part of a nondisclosure agreement Grant signed.
Rosenberg’s statement today signals that Vince McMahon’s defense will continue to assert his complete innocence, irrespective of John Laurinaitis’s changed status in the lawsuit and his reported agreement to cooperate with the plaintiff.
