Activision Blizzard is currently going through a lawsuit over allegations that the company created a “frat boy” culture. The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing brought forth the lawsuit on July 20, 2021.
Recently, a lawyer working on the lawsuit suddenly resigned her position. In a report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the lawyer who resigned accused the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, of interfering with the lawsuit in support of Activision. Her recent resignation was a sign of protest over what she claims was an unjust firing of her boss by the governor.
Melanie Proctor, the assistant chief counsel for California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, said in an email to staff Tuesday night that she was resigning to protest the fact that her boss at the agency, Chief Counsel Janette Wipper, had been abruptly fired by the governor. Both lawyers had already stepped down from the Activision lawsuit earlier this month without explanation. A representative for the two attorneys confirmed that Proctor had resigned and Wipper was fired.
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Proctor said in the email to staff that in recent weeks, California Governor Gavin Newsom and his office “began to interfere” with the Activision suit. “The Office of the Governor repeatedly demanded advance notice of litigation strategy and of next steps in the litigation,” Proctor wrote in the email, which was seen by Bloomberg. “As we continued to win in state court, this interference increased, mimicking the interests of Activision’s counsel.”
California’s lawsuit with Activision Blizard isn’t the only legal trouble the company faces. Not only did former employees sue the company, but the SEC has previously investigated the company for misleading shareholders. Activision Blizzard itself has also gone through a number of internal changes since the original lawsuit was filed. The company is currently being purchased by Microsoft, employees are forming a union, and CEO Bobby Kotick may step down once the the company has sold.