Seth Dunlap is fighting back after his own radio station used an anti-gay slur against him.
Earlier this month, we shared with you the news that Dunlap’s station tweeted out a message calling him a “f**.” The radio station did so after he wrote an op-ed about New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees being connected to anti-LGBTQ group Focus on the Family.
After the tweet, Dunlap took a leave of absence from the station. And now, his lawyer Megan Kiefer has released a statement saying that they are filing a discrimination lawsuit.
As Kiefer wrote, according to Fox 8 Live:
“It has been fifteen days since WWL tweeted from its official twitter account calling its employee, Seth Dunlap, a ‘fag’. Seth has been patient with Entercom Communications during this time, largely withholding public comment in an attempt to allow the investigation to ensue and in hopes of fair and amicable treatment. To date, Entercom has not apologized to Seth for this incident. Rather, Entercom has refused to provide any evidence whatsoever to Seth regarding their investigation. They have provided no forensic investigatory reports, Twitter data, surveillance footage, interview transcripts or recordings, polygraph results, or any other documents or evidence to Seth or the media relative to their investigation into this shocking event.”
https://twitter.com/sethdunlap/status/1172243122962817024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1172243122962817024&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fox8live.com%2F2019%2F09%2F25%2Fwwl-radios-seth-dunlap-passes-polygraph-test-regarding-homophobic-tweet%2F
Kiefer adds that Seth has also submitted a polygraph to prove his innocence involving the tweet. Meaning, Seth didn’t create the tweet himself and spring up drama for the sake of publicity.
“Due to the lack of any evidentiary updates from Entercom, Seth voluntarily submitted to a polygraph test administered by a certified and licensed expert polygraph examiner,” Kiefer continued. “The results of the testing, which have a 95 percent accuracy rate, concluded that Seth was truthful during the polygraph testing, and completely exonerated Seth from any involvement in the offense tweet whatsoever.”
“It is our understanding that up to fourteen (14) Entercom employees have password access to WWL’s twitter account,” Kiefer added. “Seth is not one of the employees that had any access whatsoever to the Twitter account at the time of the offense tweet. Of note, we have requested information about whether Entercom’s employees, including the fourteen employees who have password access to WWL’s twitter account, have submitted to voluntary or mandatory polygraph testing, and Entercom has refused to respond to that request.”
We are aware of a tweet that went out today from the WWL account. The content of the tweet is categorically offensive and abhorrent to the station. We are actively investigating this incident and will take swift and appropriate action once we determine how this occurred.
— WWL Radio (@WWLAMFM) September 11, 2019
As for WWL Radio, it has recently released a statement to finally address the tweet.
“WWL has completed its investigation into the highly offensive, unauthorized tweet sent from WWL’s Twitter account on September 10, which directed a homophobic slur at Seth Dunlap. WWL conducted this investigation with the assistance of an external digital forensic firm and outside counsel, and expended considerable internal resources both in New Orleans and on our corporate staff. We determined that the most appropriate next step is to involve law enforcement. At this point, the investigation is in the hands of law enforcement and it is not appropriate for us to comment any further on the substance of our findings.”
“WWL is proud to be a trusted source of news and information for the Gulf South, and we strive to be inclusive at all levels as a steward of the community and a good corporate citizen,” the station’s statement continued. “We remain committed to supporting all members of the LGBTQ+ community. We apologize to our listeners, clients, partners and employees for this abhorrent, disrespectful act.”
Police are still investigating the situation.
But the station alleged that the forensic expert, John Conroy, discovered the tweet was sent from an Internet protocol address associated with Dunlap’s cell, said the police report, which doesn’t elaborate on that point. Conroy’s investigation involved examining the station’s “Internet system, software and hardware inside the company’s offices.”
The report released Thursday notes surveillance footage showed Dunlap was in his office with the door closed at the time the tweet was sent. He opened the door soon after its publication and then walked out to show his cellphone to a co-worker, “apparently talking about the tweet.” (Nola.com)
This looks far from over.
Sources: Fox 8 Live, Towleroad, Nola.com
