The lawsuit against WWE cofounder and Trump cabinet pick Linda McMahon has been stalled until a ruling comes from the Supreme Court of Maryland about whether the case is even constitutional.
A judge paused the lawsuit that claims WWE, TKO Holdings, McMahon, and her husband, Vince, knew about the actions of a ringside announcer who allegedly sexually abused children in the 1980s. Attorneys and McMahon have denied the allegations, while the lawsuit claims Vince said he and his wife knew in the 1980s that the announcer, who died in 2012, had a “peculiar and unnatural interest” in young boys. The suit was filed on behalf of five John Does in October in Baltimore County.
The case is at a standstill because Maryland only recently made it legal for lawsuits about the sex abuse of minors to date that far back, and the 2023 law has already received formal opposition from others who have been sued. A federal judge paused the case in Maryland district court until the Supreme Court of Maryland rules on arguments it heard in September.
WWE and TKO had asked for the pause earlier this month and said they’re ready to challenge the law if the case proceeds.
The CEO and president of WWE exited her role in 2009. McMahon campaigned for a Connecticut Senate seat in 2010 and lost. She led Donald Trump’s Small Business Administration during his first term. She stepped down to help his 2020 reelection efforts, and then chaired a pro-Trump think tank. Last month, the president-elect said he wants McMahon to lead the Department of Education, an agency he has said he wants to dismantle.
It’s possible that the pause or the case in general could still be ongoing come time for McMahon’s confirmation hearing.
McMahon isn’t the only sports figure Trump has tapped for his new administration. He chose former NFL player Scott Turner as his selection to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He’s also expressed interest in Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker leading a missile defense shield project, and stationed Jets owner Woody Johnson as an ambassador to the U.K. during his first term.
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