Lawyers for pop star and Joe Biden campaigner Lizzo asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit from a former employee who claimed the performer allowed bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace.
The motion seen Friday detailed the allegations were “meritless” and “defective” because they have no connection to California, where the suit was launched.
As Breitbart News reported, the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in September by fashion designer Asha Daniels, accused her boss — Lizzo’s wardrobe manager — of doing stereotypical impressions of Black women, forcing dancers to change in front of the mostly white, male stage crew and describing the performers as “fat,” “useless” and “dumb.”
File/ Lizzo performs at Mediolanum Forum of Assago on March 02, 2023 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images)
Daniels was fired after she complained about the workplace, according to the suit. Her lawyer, Ron Zambrano, has previously said the “buck stops” with Lizzo.
Daniels, said of Lizzo: “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 alleged Lizzo’s wardrobe manager, Amanda Nomura, was an abuser, and when Daniels complained to Lizzo, the singer immediately fired Daniels.
NBC News reports in Friday’s filing, lawyers for Lizzo called the suit “specious” and accused Daniels of “abandoning” her job after three weeks and getting fired as a result.
The lawyers are seeking to have Daniels’ suit dismissed because it was filed under laws that they say are designed to protect California residents or people working in the state.