A former Hartford Courant columnist is suing the newspaper and its owner, Tribune Co., accusing the companies of violating his free speech rights in the workplace when he was forced out of his job this summer.
George Gombossy’s complaint filed in Hartford Superior Court claims top management took issue with the consumer watchdog columns and blog entries he wrote that were critical of Courant advertisers, telling him the newspaper couldn’t afford to lose the business.
Gombossy had been writing the column since 2007 and said he hadn’t faced any previous restrictions.
His job was eliminated in August after a column about a state investigation of an advertiser, the Sleepy’s mattress company.
In a statement late today, The Courant insisted it did nothing wrong.
“George Gombossy has consistently mischaracterized the circumstances surrounding his departure from The Hartford Courant for his own personal gain,” the statement said.
Gombossy’s attorney says it’s a first-of-its-kind case. (AP)
