Weinstein Company Claims They Shouldn’t Be Punished for Harvey Weinstein’s Misconduct

Ever since the initial report of sexual abuse allegations came to light in October 2017, 84 women in the film industry have come forward with accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein.

The Weinstein Company, which Weinstein founded with his brother in 2005, dismissed Weinstein on October 8. And with waves of lawsuits incoming, the film company is trying to wipe their hands of their former founder completely.

According to The Blast, a woman going under the name Jane Doe filed lawsuits against both Weinstein and the company in late 2017 for sexual battery and assault that took place in 2015 and 2016. The company is now reportedly attempting to have the lawsuit specifically against them dismissed, citing that only Weinstein is responsible.

“Defendants cannot be held vicariously liable for the conduct alleged by Plaintiff’s FAC (first amended complaint),” the Weinstein Co. said in the lawsuit, “because such conduct was outside the course and scope of employment of the individual(s) who allegedly engaged in such conduct.”

“…liability should be proportionate to their contribution to the alleged harm or endangerment, taking into account the contribution of Defendants and/or other persons who were responsible for or who otherwise contributed to the alleged harm or endangerment,” the lawsuit added.

The company’s lawyers are asking a judge to toss the case out. No word yet on if a judge agrees with the company’s defense, but for now the case remains ongoing.

Weinstein was the first in a long line of men in the entertainment industry being publicly accused of sexual misconduct and abuse, including Kevin Spacey, James Franco, Scott Baio, Danny Masterson, Mario Batali, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Al Franken, Russell Simmons and Louis C.K..

The most recent of the 80-plus women to come forward against Weinstein was Uma Thurman, who recalled Weinstein’s attack against her after filming Pulp Fiction.

“He pushed me down,” Thurman said in an interview with The New York Times. “He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things. But he didn’t actually put his back into it and force me. You’re like an animal wriggling away, like a lizard. I was doing anything I could to get the train back on the track. My track. Not his track.”