WWL/New Orleans Accuses Seth Dunlap Of Sending Twitter Slur Himself, Dunlap Plans Lawsuit

Dunlap

After two weeks of silence, ENTERCOM News-Talk WWL-A-F/NEW ORLEANS released a statement about the incident in which a homophobic tweet about evening sports host SETH DUNLAP was posted through the station's TWITTER account (NET NEWS 9/11), saying that it has investigated and closed the case but not indicating what the investigation uncovered and adding that the case has been referred to law enforcement. As the statement emerged, the police report also became public through a Freedom of Information Act request by the TIMES-PICAYUNE/NEW ORLEANS ADVOCATE, and the report says that the WWL investigation resulted in the station management believing DUNLAP sent the tweet himself from his personal cell phone and added that he told the station he would go "scorched earth" over the tweet and demanded over $1.8 million.

Meanwhile, DUNLAP, who has been off the air on a voluntary leave of absence, has informed the station that he intends to sue and has also issued a statement denying involvement in the posting of the slur. In response to the police report, DUNLAP's attorney MEGAN KIEFER told the TIMES-PICAYUNE/ADVOCATE that the allegations were "defamatory and self-serving" and "littered with falsehoods" and that WWL attorneys threatened criminal prosecution to reduce a possible settlement, although she confirmed the settlement request figure of $1.8 million.

According to the police report, WWL said that its digital forensic expert, JOHN CONROY, tied the tweet to an IP address from DUNLAP's phone, and that it had received wage garnishment letters against DUNLAP's salary for collections of debt on unpaid credit cards and personal loans. The station also contended that surveillance video from the office showed DUNLAP in his office with the door closed when the tweet was sent, emerging to show another employee something on his phone.

ENTERCOM's initial statement said, "WWL has completed its investigation into the highly offensive, unauthorized tweet sent from WWL’s TWITTER account on SEPTEMBER 10, which directed a homophobic slur at SETH DUNLAP. WWL conducted this investigation with the assistance of an external digital forensic firm and outside counsel, and expended considerable internal resources both in NEW ORLEANS and on our corporate staff. We determined that the most appropriate next step is to involve law enforcement.  At this point, the investigation is in the hands of law enforcement."

DUNLAP's law firm KIEFER & KIEFER issued a statement in response to WWL's asserting that ENTERCOM has yet to apologize to DUNLAP but, "Rather, ENTERCOM has refused to provide any evidence whatsoever to SETH regarding their investigation.  They have provided no forensic investigatory reports, TWITTER data, surveillance footage, interview transcripts or recordings, polygraph results, or any other documents or evidence to SETH or the media relative to their investigation into this shocking event. 

"Due to the lack of any evidentiary updates from ENTERCOM, SETH voluntarily submitted to a polygraph test administered by a certified and licensed expert polygraph examiner.  The results of the testing, which have a 95% accuracy rate, concluded that SETH was truthful during the polygraph testing, and completely exonerated SETH from any involvement in the offense tweet whatsoever.... It is our understanding that up to fourteen (14) ENTERCOM employees have password access to WWL’s TWITTER account.  SETH is not one of the employees that had any access whatsoever to the TWITTER account at the time of the offense tweet.... Due to the fact that this expansive PENNSYLVANIA corporation has provided absolutely no evidentiary update to us or the media relative to the status of their investigation in over two weeks since this tweet, is concerning and, quite frankly, suspicious. If ENTERCOM is attempting to use the vast resources at its disposal during this time to create a narrative to avoid its own culpability by implicating any innocent employee, including SETH, we should all be outraged and there should be consequences.

"It is indisputable that this tweet was egregious and shocking; however, it is unsurprising.  In the coming weeks, we will reveal the appalling history of discrimination SETH has experienced during his eight years at ENTERCOM as an openly gay man. Once all of the evidence comes to light, the inescapable conclusion is that ENTERCOM has allowed an anti-gay, bigoted, and hostile work environment to flourish, and that ENTERCOM as well as its corporate lawyers were aware of instances of homophobia and discrimination and did nothing to protect SETH or its LGBTQ+ employees. We will be preparing a lawsuit and complaint in the upcoming weeks that will discuss these instances in more detail."

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