Patrick Reed Files $820 Million Amended Complaint Against Brandel Chamblee
The ongoing saga starring Patrick Reed and several golf journalists continued on Friday when the 2018 Masters champion filed an expanded complaint against Brandel Chamblee, The Golf Channel, Eamon Lynch, Golfweek, Gannett and many others, claiming they had spread “fake news” and slandered and tampered with him (Reed).”
Larry Klayman, attorney for Reed, stated in filing the amended complaint, “Contrary to the misreporting by the defendant Gannett (parent company of the USA Today Network), who lied that the complaint was dismissed in its entirety, the prior order of the Chief Justice Timothy Corrigan merely required Mr. Reed to amend his original complaint, mainly informally, and then file that amended complaint.
“Defendant Gannett did not learn his lesson and again attempted to defame Mr. Reed by misrepresenting Judge Corrigan’s order. Gannett has yet to respond to Klayman’s claims.
Reed and his 4-Aces GC team won the $16 million LIV golf team final at Trump National Doral
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Reed, who signed with the Saudi-backed league in June 2022, has already dismissed a $750 million lawsuit by a federal judge. That came back in mid-November when Timothy J. Corrigan, the federal judge, stated that the complaint filed “did not inform the defendants of the grounds on which each claim is based because Reed makes 120 allegations of fact and then proceeds to incorporate all 120 allegations into.” every count.
“Reed seeks allegations of various defamation and civil conspiracy against each defendant; Causes of action requiring widely differing allegations of fact.” Following the statement, Corrigan allowed the 32-year-old to file an amended complaint through Dec. 16, with the federal judge stating, “In preparing the amended complaint, Reed will be directed to reassess his alleged claims evaluate and bring only those claims which are meritable and legally supported.”
Now, in the amended lawsuit, Reed’s attorney, Klayman, has claimed that “Mr. Reed is a player in the rival LIV Golf League and many in the golfing media have been recruited by the PGA Tour to harm not only Mr. Reed but also his fellow LIV players by repeatedly defaming and disparaging them.”
LIV Golf is still without a TV deal and world ranking points
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He adds, “It was recently revealed that the PGA Tour had allegedly hired Clout Public Affairs LLC to slander LIV and its media actors and to fund, organize and incite 9/11 families to stage staged protests at LIV events and elsewhere.” The PGA Tour is also yet to respond to these claims.
The letter ends with Klayman stating: “The amended complaint alleges defamation and tortious interference and seeks over $820,000,000 in damages for serious damage suffered by Mr. Reed financially and in terms of loss of goodwill and reputation was added. This amended complaint is embedded below.
“This amended complaint speaks for itself and represents an anti-competitive scheme by the PGA Tour, its commissioner Jay Monahan and their agents to defame and destroy LIV and its players for fear of competition that would challenge the PGA Tour’s monopoly puts.”
