Weinstein uses quotes from female celebrities

LOS ANGELES - AP

Harvey Weinstein wants a judge to dismiss a federal sexual misconduct lawsuit against him and invoked the words and actions of Oscar-winning actresses including Meryl Streep in his defense.

Lawyers for the disgraced film mogul said Tuesday in federal court in New York that the proposed class-action lawsuit filed by six women should be rejected because the alleged assaults took place too long ago and they failed to offer facts to support claims of racketeering.

The lawyers cited comments made by Streep, who had said Weinstein had always been respectful in their working relationship.

Streep issued a blistering response to the use of her comments later on Feb 21, saying Weinstein’s use of her statement “as evidence that he was not abusive with many OTHER women is pathetic and exploitive.”

“The criminal actions he is accused of conducting on the bodies of these women are his responsibility,” Streep continued, “and if there is any justice left in the system he will pay for them.”

Weinstein was one of the most powerful men in the movie industry before allegations that began emerging in October dethroned him and unleashed a torrent of sexual misconduct accusations that spread far beyond the entertainment industry.

The lawsuit, which could potentially involve hundreds of other women, said Weinstein assaulted young women trying to break into Hollywood when they were alone with him and that his former film companies operated like an organized crime group to conceal widespread sexual harassment and assaults.

Saying that the proposed class of affected women was “fatally overbroad,” lawyers for Weinstein said that the suit would include all women Weinstein ever met, whether they even claimed to be harmed.