A board member for a video game company at the center of an explosive sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the state of California donated $100,000 to a campaign to stop the 2021 recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to state records.
A top lawyer for the state resigned this week, alleging the governor has been meddling in the lawsuit against the company, Activision Blizzard, and that he abruptly fired the lead lawyer on the case, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.
Casey Wasserman, CEO of the Wasserman Media Group, is a director at Activision Blizzard, according to the company’s website, and sits on the board of directors and the board’s nominating and corporate governance committee. Just weeks after the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing filed the July suit against the company, alleging a “frat boy” culture of rampant sexual harassment and discrimination against women, Wasserman donated $100,000 to the Stop the Republican Recall of Governor Newsom campaign, according to campaign finance records.
In addition to his position at Activision, Wasserman is a prominent Los Angeles executive. He sits on the organizing committee for the 2028 Olympics and was chair of the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee for 2022.
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Melanie Proctor, the assistant chief counsel for the state employment department, resigned, and in doing so sent an email to staff alleging interference from the governor’s office on the Activision suit. Proctor claimed that as the state continued to win in court, Newsom’s interference increased, “mimicking the interests of Activision’s counsel.”
Erin Mellon, communications director for the governor's office, said in a statement that “claims of interference by our office are categorically false.”
“The Newsom administration supports the effective work DFEH has done under Director Kevin Kish to enforce civil rights laws and protect workers, and will continue to support DFEH in their efforts to fight all forms of discrimination and protect Californians,” Mellon said.
Nathan Click, a spokesperson for the anti-recall campaign, referred POLITICO to Mellon’s comments on the claims of meddling being false.
The state’s case against Activision Blizzard is pending in Los Angeles Superior Court. In March, the company agreed to an $18 million settlement with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over similar harassment and discrimination allegations.
Neither Wasserman’s office, nor Activision, immediately responded to a request for comment on the donation or the governor’s alleged meddling in the lawsuit.
