Lance Armstrong sues former assistant
Trainer incorrectly claims he had a contract with Armstrong, lawsuit states.
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Lawsuit by Lance Armstrong against his former personal assistant Mike Anderson. (PDF)
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By Monica Polanco, Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
A former personal assistant to Lance Armstrong who now wants $500,000, a signed Tour de France jersey and future endorsements from the cycling champion just got a bonus a lawsuit filed in Travis County District Court.
Armstrong and Luke David LLC Armstrong's personal service company are asking a judge to declare an alleged employment contract between Armstrong and Mike Anderson invalid and to declare Anderson an at-will employee under Texas law. At-will employees can be fired at any time as long as the reason is not discriminatory.
Armstrong referred questions concerning the lawsuit to his agent, Bill Stapleton. "We were forced to do this because we were threatened with a half-million-dollar lawsuit," said Stapleton. "What we're trying to do is avoid the lawsuit."
Anderson could not be reached for comment.
Anderson worked for Luke David LLC, which is named after Armstrong's son, for about two years. He was fired around Nov. 16. His post-employment demands hinge on an alleged e-mail that he claims Armstrong sent him in 2002 setting proposed terms of employment, according to the lawsuit filed Monday.
Anderson claims the alleged e-mail served as a contract, but he was always an at-will employee, the lawsuit states.
"Defendant alleges that such an e-mail exists, but does not have a copy of the e-mail, although he purportedly 'remembers it clearly,' " the lawsuit states.
As Armstrong's assistant, Anderson performed various tasks, including helping Armstrong with day-to-day training and landscaping. After he was fired, Anderson demanded that Armstrong and his company pay him and his wife, Allison Anderson, half-a-million dollars, the lawsuit states. Anderson asked that Armstrong purchase cashier's checks worth $300,000 payable to Mike Anderson and two $100,000 cashier's checks made out to two law firms that made the demands and wrote two letters on Anderson's behalf.
Anderson also requested a signed yellow Tour de France jersey and three autographed posters made out to "My Friend Mike Thanks for all your help and support," the lawsuit states.
Anderson also demanded a "highly favorable" reference letter with precise wording and a future provision requiring Armstrong to make endorsements and public appearances at a bike shop which Anderson might buy or open in the future.
Trainer incorrectly claims he had a contract with Armstrong, lawsuit states.
Advertisement
Lawsuit by Lance Armstrong against his former personal assistant Mike Anderson. (PDF)
Get Acrobat Reader
By Monica Polanco, Suzanne Halliburton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
A former personal assistant to Lance Armstrong who now wants $500,000, a signed Tour de France jersey and future endorsements from the cycling champion just got a bonus a lawsuit filed in Travis County District Court.
Armstrong and Luke David LLC Armstrong's personal service company are asking a judge to declare an alleged employment contract between Armstrong and Mike Anderson invalid and to declare Anderson an at-will employee under Texas law. At-will employees can be fired at any time as long as the reason is not discriminatory.
Armstrong referred questions concerning the lawsuit to his agent, Bill Stapleton. "We were forced to do this because we were threatened with a half-million-dollar lawsuit," said Stapleton. "What we're trying to do is avoid the lawsuit."
Anderson could not be reached for comment.
Anderson worked for Luke David LLC, which is named after Armstrong's son, for about two years. He was fired around Nov. 16. His post-employment demands hinge on an alleged e-mail that he claims Armstrong sent him in 2002 setting proposed terms of employment, according to the lawsuit filed Monday.
Anderson claims the alleged e-mail served as a contract, but he was always an at-will employee, the lawsuit states.
"Defendant alleges that such an e-mail exists, but does not have a copy of the e-mail, although he purportedly 'remembers it clearly,' " the lawsuit states.
As Armstrong's assistant, Anderson performed various tasks, including helping Armstrong with day-to-day training and landscaping. After he was fired, Anderson demanded that Armstrong and his company pay him and his wife, Allison Anderson, half-a-million dollars, the lawsuit states. Anderson asked that Armstrong purchase cashier's checks worth $300,000 payable to Mike Anderson and two $100,000 cashier's checks made out to two law firms that made the demands and wrote two letters on Anderson's behalf.
Anderson also requested a signed yellow Tour de France jersey and three autographed posters made out to "My Friend Mike Thanks for all your help and support," the lawsuit states.
Anderson also demanded a "highly favorable" reference letter with precise wording and a future provision requiring Armstrong to make endorsements and public appearances at a bike shop which Anderson might buy or open in the future.
. so the first $500k + misc. claim was part of a lawsuit against lance armstrong, and the article is in response to the counter-suit filed against mike-the-assistant. 
I was off site today.