Byron Allen and Charter Communications Reach a Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Agreement

Former comedian Byron Allen and Charter Communications have finally reached a racial discrimination lawsuit agreement, after years.

Allen and Entertainment Studios filed a lawsuit against Charter Communications for racial discrimination.

The Federal District Court ruled in favor of Allen’s $10 billion racial discrimination lawsuit against Charter Communications. However, in 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Allen must provide substantial evidence to support his claim of racial discrimination from Charter Communications.

“Charter once again tried to claim in a court of law that the First Amendment gives them the right to discriminate against Black people. This is despicable, racist legal position, and I’m highly-confident Charter CEO Tom Rutledge and the Charter Board of Directors will be held fully accountable,” Allen said in a statement. “Charter has now been told by Judge Wu twice, and the Ninth Circuit, that the First Amendment does not give anyone the right to discriminate against 100 million minorities in the country.”

Allen and Charter Communications have finally reached an agreement over the $10 billion racial discrimination lawsuit. Both parties have sent out a joint statement announcing the new deal.

Similarly, in 2019, Allen, who owns the media company Entertainment Studios allegedly stated that Comcast discriminated against him. He said the company declined to accept seven of his channels including Pets.TV and Cars.TV, yet accepted lesser-known, white-owned channels.

Comcast owns CNBC’s parent company NBCUniversal.

Allen filed a lawsuit against Comcast, but the question raised by the Supreme Court was not whether or not Allen was discriminated against because of the color of his skin. The court’s concern was to know whether the 1866 Civil Rights Act was observed. The Act allows both black and white citizens equal rights to make and enforce contracts.

Comcast denied the allegations against it by Allen, demanding that he proved that there were no race-neutral reasons that could have been the cause for refusing his contract. Allen, however, insisted that race was a motivating factor behind the company’s decision to decline his contract.

Although the federal district judge dismissed the complaint which seemed like a win for Comcast, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Allen. Many conservative and liberal skeptics spoke against the 9th Circuit’s decision, saying it was pointless.

A Comcast spokesperson said in a statement that the company was positive that the Court “will reverse the incorrect 9th Circuit decision and, in light of the trial court’s dismissal three separate times of these discrimination claims, bring this case to an end.”

“Comcast has a strong civil rights and diversity record and an outstanding history of supporting and fostering diverse programming from African American owned channels,” the spokesperson said.

The legal war seemed to have been over in November 2019 when Comcast was optimistic about winning over the $20 billion racial discrimination case brought by Allen. The win was short-lived as the justices stated that Allen may be given another opportunity to present his case.

An agreement was finally reached, as Allen and Entertainment Studios dropped the lawsuit against Comcast to $10 billion. There was also an extension in the terms for The Weather Channels and 14 over television stations.