(KTXL) — Former Sacramento Kings broadcaster and popular radio talk show host Grant Napear has filed a lawsuit against the company that fired him following a controversial tweet, FOX40 has learned.
Napear has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Bonneville International, the owner of radio station KHTK where Napear worked for over two decades before a tweet abruptly ended his Sacramento career.
The complaint alleges wrongful termination, discrimination and retaliation in connection with Napear’s firing from his job at KHTK in June of 2020 following a contentious Twitter exchange. Napear was allowed to resign from his play-by-play job with the Kings on the same day.
The lawsuit is asking for damages, including lost and future wages and emotional distress.
In May 2020, just as protests across the nation began ramping up following the death of George Floyd, former Kings player DeMarcus Cousins tweeted at Napear, asking him, “what’s your take on BLM?” In response, Napear tweeted in part, “ALL LIVES MATTER…EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!”
The phrase “all lives matter” is considered by activists as an affront associated with criticism of Black Lives Matter.
Bonneville International, which owns KHTK, said at the time, “While we appreciate Grant’s positive contributions to KHTK over the years, his recent comments about the Black Lives Matter movement do not reflect the views or values of Bonneville International Corporation.”
“The timing of Grant’s tweet was particularly insensitive. After reviewing the matter carefully, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with Grant,” the company continued in its statement.
A representative with Bonneville International told FOX40 the company has no comment regarding the lawsuit.
Napear left Sacramento and started the podcast “If You Don’t Like That With Grant Napear.” He caught up with FOX40 late last year.
“And I said ‘all lives matter, every single one’, because I meant it. Do the lives of Black people matter? Hell yeah, the lives of Black people matter,” Napear said at the time. “I’m for equality for all, that’s how I was raised. That’s how my dad brought up my brother and I.”
Read the lawsuit in full below.
Grant Napear Complaint by FOX40 News on Scribd
Stay with FOX40 News for the latest on this story and hear from Napear as he has agreed to speak only with FOX40’s Mark Demsky tonight after Thursday Night Football.