Former South Carolina head football coach Lou Holtz has resolved a federal lawsuit against an online publication over a story that falsely claimed he referred to immigrants as "deadbeats" during a speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
The suit, filed in December in federal court in Orlando, Fla., accused The Daily Beast of defamation after the website published a story with the headline "Lou Holtz at RNC Said Immigrants are Deadbeats Invading the US." Holtz was seeking at least $75,000 in damages, saying the story caused him public humiliation and the loss of speaking engagements.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell signed an order Monday dismissing the suit. That followed a Friday court filing by Holtz's attorney that said the Hall of Fame coach is voluntarily dismissing the suit against The Daily Beast's parent company, YGS Group Inc., with the stipulation that Holtz and YGS will each pay their own attorneys' fees and costs.
Neither filing gave additional information about the reasoning for the voluntary dismissal. A release Monday from Morgan & Morgan, the Orlando-based firm that represented Holtz, said the case was "amicably resolved" in a confidential settlement.
Holtz said in the law firm's release that it is "never easy to fight for what you believe in."
"But I am convinced it is important to do so," he said. "I want to thank Clay Townsend, Keith Mitnik, and Morgan and Morgan for their confidence in my case and their ability to resolve this issue to my satisfaction. Hope this encourages other people to fight for what they believe is right."
The suit claimed The Daily Beast took comments Holtz made during his speech out of context, and that he never used the term "deadbeats."
"I don't want to become you," the article quoted Holtz as saying during a speech at the Republican National Coalition for Life luncheon. "I don't want to speak your language, I don't want to celebrate your holidays, I sure as hell don't want to cheer for your soccer team!"
After complaints, the website updated its headline to "Holtz Goes on Immigrant-Bashing RNC Rant," which the suit said still was "false and malicious."
The lawsuit contended that Holtz was relaying the mindset of his grandparents, who came to the United States from Ukraine, and that his comments came during a brief discussion on immigration that followed a speech primarily about abortion and the choices that an unborn child could not make.
"Mr. Holtz has the utmost respect for his grandparents and all immigrants who follow the law and find the American dream in this country," the lawsuit stated. "The substance or gist of Mr. Holtz's statements was not that all immigrants are 'deadbeats.' "
As part of the agreement announced Monday, The Daily Beast issued a public apology to Holtz.
"While The Daily Beast stands by the rest of its story, we recognize that Mr. Holtz also spoke to the audience about his poor grandparents, who themselves immigrated to the United States and were processed through Ellis Island," states the May 8 letter from The Daily Beast's attorney, a copy of which was provided to The State by Morgan & Morgan. "The Daily Beast sincerely regrets the error in the headline and that Mr. Holtz was embarrassed and hurt by this error."
