http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/newimus1.html
Posted on 11/30/2004 10:49:12 AM PST by new cruelty
NOVEMBER 30--A New York woman who briefly worked as a nanny for Don Imus has sued the radio host for wrongful termination, claiming she was canned for bringing a harmless cap gun and pocketknife with her during a trip last Thanksgiving to the family's sprawling New Mexico ranch.
Nichole Mallette, 24, also claimed in her New York State Supreme Court lawsuit, a copy of which you'll find below, that she was defamed when Imus later announced on his program that he had been forced to "disarm" his nanny, whom he labeled as dangerous and a "terrorist." In her complaint, filed yesterday by the lawyer who represented the woman who recently accused Bill O'Reilly of various improprieties, Mallette claimed that she brought the cap gun with her so that she and Imus's five-year-old son could "play cowboys" at the 4000-acre ranch.
As for the pocketknife, Mallette noted that the 1-1/2-inch item was never unsheathed from a leather harness affixed to her belt. In her lawsuit, Mallette alleged that she endured "frenzied questioning" by Imus and his wife Deirdre, who woke her at 1 AM to grill her about the pocketknife and the cap gun, which Mallette said she did not use nor show to Imus's son. After Deirdre Imus told her, "Pack your things, you're terminated," Mallette was escorted off the property at 4:15 AM by a ranch employee and the radio host.
Mallette, a Brooklyn resident, was hired by Imus last October 23 and cared for the star's son at homes in Manhattan and Connecticut, as well as the New Mexico property (according to its mission statement, the "sole purpose" of the so-called Imus Ranch is "to provide the experience of the great American cowboy" to seriously ill boys and girls and children who have lost siblings to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Mallette noted that during two separate stays at the ranch, which features a 14,000-square-foot adobe hacienda, "neither sick children nor children who had lost brothers and sisters to SIDS were present," just Imus, his family, and ranch employees.
Along with Imus and his wife, Mallete named as defendants the radio syndicator Westwood One and NBC, which simulcasts Imus's show on its MSNBC cable network.
"(according to its mission statement, the "sole purpose" of the so-called Imus Ranch is "to provide the experience of the great American cowboy" to seriously ill boys and girls and children who have lost siblings to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Mallette noted that during two separate stays at the ranch, which features a 14,000-square-foot adobe hacienda, "neither sick children nor children who had lost brothers and sisters to SIDS were present," just Imus, his family, and ranch employees."
It's a very rare private home or ranch that has a "mission statement." Even Teresa Heniz's properties don't have them. Thus, it looks like this ranch is part of some type of 501(c)(3) "public charity." If so, the allegation by Mallette that nobody but Imus, his family, and employees was present when Mallette was there could cause BIG trouble for Imus. It looks like she's making a case that he set up a bugus charity for sick kids, got big tax deductions for it and contributions to it, and is using it entirely as personal property. That could get the ranch's tax exemption yanked and might land Imus in jail for tax evasion.
Why do people have children and not raise them themselves.
I could never see hiring a nanny for my kids (even if I was wealthy!) Their upbringing is just too important to risk
giving that job to a stranger. No way!!
Dis he raise it as deductible charitable contributions? If so, the private use of the ranch could get its 501(c)(3) exemption yanked.
Get a real key chain like they sell on the street in Australian cities. A disposable that fires one or two shots.
Nah, between the damage I bet he did to his heart, the viagra, and his O2 line...wait, do you know anything about their pre-nup?
You got it!
What a sweet deal. A huge ranch on the cheap, and every summer, you have free child labor.
Why didn't I think of it?
Can you imagine working for that jackarse?
Hey Donny, can you spell I-R-S?
I defer to your knowledge of the I-Man.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/newimus1.html
I always knew that ranch deal was just a scam to get other people to subsidize Imus' lifestyle.
Imus is an idiot.
Based on everything I've heard she's a flaming liberal, borderline psycho
Apparently someone actually slept with that thing...EWWWWWWWWWW...GROSS!
It appears to be another one of those tax exempt and fraudulent "churches" that have been organized to skirt the IRS. Now Imus is one person I wouldn't mind seeing the IRS go after.
FOTHK
That's why Imus was pretending to be for Kerry.
Good Lord---the ranch is a non-profit! Obviously I don't keep up with Imus and what the hell am I doing wrong?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.