A Nevada state court jury heard opening statements Monday in a lawsuit filed by the former CEO of the right-wing social media platform Parler accusing partners Rebekah Mercer, a billionaire Republican donor and Dan Bongino, former deputy FBI Director, of forcing him out of the company, and the full trial is being webcast gavel-to-gavel by Courtroom View Network.
An attorney for plaintiff John Matze told the Clark County jury that Mercer and Bongino, at the time a prominent podcast host, conspired to oust Matze from his role following the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Matze claims Mercer and Bongino used the fallout from Parler’s alleged role in the January 6 violence to cause him to lose his job and a 40 percent interest in the company, however the defendants maintain Matze was dismissed for cause due to “gross incompetence.”
