The Good Morning America scandal could be headed to court!
T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach aren’t just using their mandatory time off to focus on their budding romance — they’re preparing to fight back if ABC decides to keep them off the air — or, as is looking more and more inevitable, fires them!
As Perezcious readers know, the GMA 3 co-anchors were pulled from screens days after news of their extramarital affair broke late last year. Ever since then, the network has been conducting an internal investigation into the pair’s relationship, but details have been kept quiet — even to the TV personalities!
According to sources with direct knowledge of the ordeal who spoke with TMZ on Friday, ABC has not informed T.J. or Amy as to why they were taken off the air. We’d think it would be pretty obvious — the network obviously didn’t like all the negative attention. But, legally speaking, this lack of information could come back to bite them.
Because of this, the reporters are apparently confused and frustrated about the situation, especially since ABC initially said they would not face disciplinary action after the news broke. Then, just days later, they were pulled from their gigs… apparently without much reasoning. Now, Amy and T.J. are preparing for legal action if they don’t get their jobs back — and race could be an issue!
According to the insiders, Amy has hired Andrew Brettler, one of the best civil lawyers in Hollywood. You may remember him from Tiffany Haddish‘s sexual abuse lawsuit last year. T.J., on the other hand, now has Eric George on his team, who has handled many celebrity cases. The two lawyers are eager for answers — and aren’t getting any from the media corporation so far. If ABC continues to keep the lovebirds off the air or fires them, the attorneys are ready to file a lawsuit.
One of the biggest questions the lawyers will pose to the network in the legal filing is all about race, the insiders explained:
“Has ABC ever used the morals or conduct clause to fire or discipline 2 consenting adults at equal levels when both were white?”
Ooh…
The source went on to say it will be telling if this is the first time ABC has invoked the morals clause under these circumstances (AKA a Black and white anchor in a relationship). Bringing the racial element into this lawsuit is going to make it so much messier for the channel!
Innerestingly, one insider also opened up about why T.J. and Amy believe they were removed from their positions amid this scandal (seeing as ABC supposedly hasn’t told them anything). They think the only thing they may have done wrong (in ABC’s opinion, at least) was not informing the company of their relationship in a timely matter. The source explained teasingly:
“Are you supposed to inform your boss when you catch feelings?”
But remember: both of them are married to other people and have been for 12 years (though they are now *finally* working on their divorces)! Sure, they can claim they were already separated when they got together, but the timeline is iffy at best. We bet ABC won’t let this side of the story fade if it comes to a legal fight. Because let’s face it, the problem was never that the co-anchors were dating — it’s that they CHEATED! That’s the conduct clause violation. And this may even have been a pattern of T.J.’s…
Still, legal action shouldn’t be a surprise! The journalists are desperate to salvage their reputations and careers, both of which would be ruined if they face disciplinary action by the network, the insiders added. Just having them off the air for so long is taking a toll on them! So, of course, they are preparing for battle! Thoughts?? SOUND OFF (below)!
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