Deen's accuser: 'This has never been about the N-word'
The woman who filed a harassment lawsuit against Paula Deen said Monday her suit "has never been about the N-word," addressing the slur that has tarnished the celebrity chef's image and cost her endorsements, a book deal and her TV show.
The statement from Lisa Jackson was the first since the scandal began last month, when Deen's deposition in Jackson's suit was made public.
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"This lawsuit has never been about the N-word," Jackson says in the statement, provided to CNN's Don Lemon by her lawyer, Matthew Billips. "It is to address Ms. Deen's patterns of disrespect and degradation of people that she deems to be inferior.
"I may be a white woman, but I could no longer tolerate her abuse of power as a business owner, nor her condonation of Mr. Hier's despicable behavior on a day-to-day basis. I am what I am, and I am a human being that cares about all races, and that is why I feel it is important to be the voice for those who are too afraid to use theirs."
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http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/01/showbiz/paula-deen-accuser
