Additional Coverage:
- Lawyer Tony Buzbee dropped out of more than a dozen Diddy lawsuits after he says Jay-Z filed a grievance against him (businessinsider.com)
Attorney Tony Buzbee Withdraws from Diddy Lawsuits, Blames Jay-Z
Texas attorney Tony Buzbee has withdrawn from over a dozen lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs, citing a grievance filed by Jay-Z as the reason for his withdrawal. Buzbee, who initiated the suits in New York federal court, was not admitted to practice there. He alleges that Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, filed the grievance to prevent him from being admitted to the Southern District of New York.
Court documents reveal that Buzbee filed for admission in January, months after filing the initial lawsuits against Combs. His application was denied, with the committee citing his appearance in cases prior to seeking admission.
Judge Ronnie Abrams noted Buzbee’s failure to disclose his lack of admission and ordered an explanation. Buzbee attributed the oversight to an error in judgment, emphasizing his qualifications and admission to the New York State Bar and the Eastern District of New York.
He expressed concern that the issue had become a distraction from his client’s pursuit of justice.
Buzbee claims that he expected reciprocal admission due to his standing in the Eastern District, but Jay-Z’s grievance interfered with the process. He contends he was the only attorney among several handling the cases to be targeted and accused Jay-Z of “weaponizing” the grievance process.
Combs, currently in pretrial detention on federal sex trafficking charges, denies all accusations. Jay-Z recently filed a defamation suit against Buzbee and a former client who dropped her sexual assault lawsuit against Combs and Jay-Z.
Buzbee is pursuing admission to the SDNY on a “pro hac vice” basis, acknowledging inadvertent violations of court rules. Combs’ attorneys oppose the motion, citing Buzbee’s conduct and public statements about Combs’ guilt.
Buzbee maintains he is lead counsel on other lawsuits against Combs filed in New York state court, where he is admitted to practice.