Tomi Lahren Speaks Out About Her Lawsuit

Photo credit: Getty
Photo credit: Getty

From Cosmopolitan

After claiming she was pro-choice during an appearance on The View, conservative pundit Tomi Lahren was banned from her network, TheBlaze, and promptly dragged on social media by her former fans. Lahren responded by filing a wrongful termination suit against both TheBlaze and her former boss, Glenn Beck, claiming that they were orchestrating "a public smear campaign" against her.

In an interview with ABC on Wednesday, Lahren spoke out about the lawsuit for the first time, explaining that she had only filed it out of hopes that she could move on from the incident and begin working elsewhere. As The Cut reports, the pundit is seeking to terminate her contract with TheBlaze, and maintain control of her Facebook page, where she has over 4 million followers.

"To my former employer, I would just say: Let me go," she said. "Let me move on. I'm deeply hurt by what has happened. I'm disappointed in what has happened. But if this is the way that it is, let's just part ways - cleanly. I just want work and have the freedom to put my voice out there. And I want to interact with my fans and my followers, that's all I want out of this."

When asked why she appeared to be getting emotional over this plea, Lahren responded by explaining that her job is her life and that she's felt lost without it.

"It's my job," she said. "This is my life. Without that, I feel lost. When your outlet is taken away from you, when your catharsis is stripped from you, and you don't understand why, and you're so disappointed, and you're so blindsided by it, it hurts."

Lahren also admitted that the whole experience has taken quite the emotional toll on her, and that despite her tough persona, she's still deeply hurt by what happened. However, she seems optimistic for the future - claiming, "I don't consider myself a feminist, but boy, I will not lay down and play dead, ever."

When pressed, Lahren also clarified her stance on abortion rights, claiming that she's anti-abortion but still believes women should have the option to get one in the first trimester. She then added that she herself would never get one, and that she's previously advised friends not to get one, either.

"I believe you can be anti-abortion and pro-choice, and that's where I sit," she said. "Personally, I would never have an abortion. Personally, I would never encourage anyone else to have an abortion. In fact, I've counseled friends against it. I don't believe in abortion."

"However, as someone who views limited government, I do believe that during the first trimester, that option should be there for women," she continued. "And I stand behind that. Now, after the first trimester? That becomes a little bit more difficult for me, and I do believe that the government has a role when the baby is viable on its own. But during that first trimester, I think we need to approach these issues with the utmost compassion for young women who are going through an experience that, luckily, I've never had to go through."

In response to the interview, TheBlaze has apparently re-issued the same statement it released after news of Lahren's lawsuit: "It is puzzling that an employee who remains under contract (and is still being paid) has sued us for being fired, especially when we continue to comply fully with the terms of our agreement with her."

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