The New York Court of Appeals has tossed out the remainder of Dan Rather's lawsuit against CBS Corp.
The ruling, denying his motion to appeal, effectively ends Rather's breach-of-contract suit against his former employer.
Rather's side was ordered to pay $100 and other necessary court costs. A phone call to his attorney, Martin Gold, was not immediately returned.
The former CBS New anchor filed a $70 million lawsuit against CBS Corp. and its officers, including Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone, CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward.
The original suit, which has dragged on for more than three years, stemmed from Rather's discredited 60 Minutes II report about George W. Bush's Vietnam-era service in the Texas Air National Guard. Mary Mapes, the producer on the segment, was fired, and three other producers who were involved in the report--Betsy West, Mary Murphy and Josh Howard--also became collateral damage. Rather kept his job in the immediate aftermath of the 2004 report, but he was forced to step down as anchor of The CBS Evening News.
Rather's suit alleged CBS violated his contract by giving him scant airtime on 60 Minutes, where he remained as a contributor until he left the network, and that CBS also made him a scapegoat, thus damaging his reputation and his ability to find meaningful employment after leaving CBS News.
"We're very pleased with outcome," said a CBS News spokesperson.
