Justin Baldoni Rep Admits PR Team “Sophomorically Reveled” Against Blake Lively, But Claims No Smear Campaign Despite Sexual Harassment Allegations

deadline.com:

Amid allegations by Blake Lively of sexual harassment and retaliation by It Ends With Us co-star/director Justin Baldoni and his crisis PR reps, a publicist for the Wayfarer Studios co-founder now says, “although we were prepared, we didn’t have to do anything over the top to protect our client.” “What the cherry-picked messages don’t include, although not shockingly, as it doesn’t fit the narrative, is that it was no ‘smear’ implied, no negative press was ever facilitated, no social combat plan, although we were prepared for it, as it’s our job to be ready for any scenario, but we didn’t have to implement anything, because the internet was doing the work for us,” Jennifer Abel wrote this weekend in a long post on the private PR & Marketing Facebook group of text messages.

Having received strong support from It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, along with load of Hollywood A-listers, it should be pointed out that Lively’s December 20 complaint with the California Civil Rights Department is not formally a lawsuit.

The graphic and text illustrated action (read it here) has numerous mentions of Lively’s efforts to stop said harassment, along with cameos by spouse Ryan Reynolds and very specific examples of apparently repeated misconduct by Baldoni and his Wayfarer colleagues and their PR teams.

While not a lawsuit proper, unless there is a settlement ASAP, Lively’s action is an obvious opening salvo to a likely filing soon in Los Angeles Superior Court. RELATED: “Horrifying”: Amber Heard Denounces Alleged PR Smear Campaign Against Blake Lively By Justin Baldoni Reps In the aftermath of Lively’s explosive allegations involving the role of Melissa Nathan and her company The Agency Group PR LLC, there were denials by