Former CBS anchor Jeff Vaughn has filed a discrimination lawsuit against CBS Broadcasting and its parent company Paramount Global, alleging discriminatory hiring practices favoring specific demographic groups and the dismissal of older, white, heterosexual men.
Vaughn, in a lawsuit filed in California federal court on Monday, claims he was replaced in 2022 by a younger minority news anchor. He points to CBS’s goal of achieving nonwhite representation among writers by 2023 and a directive mandating that half of reality show cast members be minorities. The lawsuit seeks to halt CBS’s alleged discriminatory hiring policies and demands at least $5 million in damages, as well as Vaughn’s reinstatement.
“The complaint alleges that CBS made staffing decisions based on a desire to reduce the number of white males, dismissing successful individuals solely because of their race and gender,” the lawsuit states.
This lawsuit follows a similar complaint from Brian Beneker, a script coordinator for SEAL Team, who claimed he was repeatedly passed over for a staff writer position due to what he called an “illegal policy of race and sex balancing,” favoring less qualified applicants from preferred groups such as minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and women.
Both Vaughn and Beneker are represented by the America First Legal Foundation, a conservative organization founded by Stephen Miller, a former Trump administration policy advisor. The foundation has been actively challenging corporate diversity initiatives, including filing complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against major companies like Morgan Stanley, Starbucks, and McDonald’s.
According to Vaughn’s complaint, after working at CBS for seven years, he was informed in 2022 that his contract would not be renewed without a clear explanation, other than it not being related to ratings. Vaughn alleges that the network intensified its diversity efforts following the promotion of Wendy McMahon to president of CBS News and Stations in 2021, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and promoting women and people of color to key positions.
At the age of 57, Vaughn claims he was replaced because he did not fit these diversity criteria. He cites instances where his story ideas for a 20th anniversary 9/11 special were rejected in favor of a younger African American colleague. Vaughn further alleges that when auditions were held for his replacement, all candidates were younger racial minorities.
The lawsuit questions the legality of diversity and inclusion programs that explicitly consider race, especially in light of recent Supreme Court decisions against affirmative action. It highlights legal uncertainties surrounding corporate diversity initiatives, contrasting Republican objections with Democratic support for such programs.
CBS and Paramount Global have not yet responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
