The gory details have been made public and while Vince McMahon is innocent until proven guilty, it’s the latest scandal in a long line of scandals for the former owner of the WWE.
On January 25, Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE, the young woman has alleged that McMahon and Laurinaitis used her sexually and “trafficked” her to other employees and talents in the WWE. Not only that but Grant has admitted that McMahon lavished her with gifts and medical treatment all on what could have been company funds.
Since the allegations, Laurinaitis has distanced himself from McMahon, claiming he too is a victim of his former boss and that “the truth will come out”. Two perspectives on the matter spoke recently about the pending trial and how McMahon is now under federal investigation.
Bruce Prichard remaining silent
Bruce Prichard is currently the Executive Director at WWE and has a relationship with McMahon that goes back a long time, on the “Something To Wrestle,” podcast, the man many are pointing too to find answers made his stance very clear.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss any legal matters of the company whatsoever. To that, there is nothing that I can say,” Prichard said, “You can ask until you’re blue in the face, and that’s going to be your answer. I’m not involved, I’m not being sued, I’m not being accused of anything. It’s a legal matter. Sometimes, it is as simple as –for those who believe– the explanation is needed. For those that don’t, no explanation will do. That’s kind of where we are.”
Bret Hart shows no mercy on McMahon
On the other hand, former WWE legend and a man who has a huge love/hate relationship with McMahon, Bret Hart spoke to Slate and condemned his former employer’s actions.
“I think, despite all of the issues I ever had with Vince, I know, deep down, I always respected him; but now, knowing what kind of a weirdo he became, I have absolutely zero respect for him,” Hart wrote in a text message. “I do not think I could ever shake his hand if he extended it. Too creepy.”
“I always had a respect for him,” Hart said. “Now it’s tainted. I’m embarrassed that I thought so highly of him.”
It took almost 10 years for Bret Hart and Vince McMahon to put the Montreal screw job and the tragic death of Bret’s brother Owen Hart to bed. McMahon and Hart began speaking again after Bret Hart’s stroke in 2002, which opened the door to a halfway decent working relationship sporadically over the years. Although “The Hitman” has always maintained his stance on the events prior to Montreal and his mixed feelings about McMahon.
Nonetheless Owen’s widow Martha Hart launched a wrongful death lawsuit against the WWE by the help of aviation lawyer Gary C. Robb; she included her children and Owen’s parents on the lawsuit, which was settled out of court for approximately $18 million on November 2, 2000.