fbpx

John Schnatter, estranged founder of Papa John’s, sues company

Date:

[tds_leads title_text="Subscribe to our Insider" input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_checkbox="yes" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" display=""]

By RJ Saunders

Things are getting a tad bit saucy for the Papa John’s pizza chain.

Papa John’s founder John Schnatter has taken his former company to court after being asked by the company to step down as chairman earlier this month.

Schnatter is suing the company to retrieve documents and records. According to the filing, Schnatter is accusing Papa John’s International Inc. of treating him in an “unexplained and heavy-handed way” after Forbes published a July 11 article that he says falsely accused him of using a racial slur during a training session.

His lawyers claim that Papa John’s has been trying to distance themselves from Schnatter for quite a while, dating back to when the National Football League dropped Papa John’s as a sponsor after Schnatter’s comments on the players’ protest. Schnatter stepped down as CEO in January after making those comments.

Schnatter believes that these documents will help clear his name and give clarity to what he meant from his statements on the protest, as well as relieve him from the PR nightmare he is now in.

Papa John’s, however, has taken very little time to put the finishing toppings on their relationship with Schnatter.

The company has decided to take a measure called a “poison-pill” plan, with the end game being to prevent Schnatter from gaining a more controlling stake in the company, remove him from their commercials and marketing materials and have kicked him out of their office space at their headquarters in Louisville, KY.

As of March, Schnatter owns a 29 percent stake in the company according to regulatory filings, and is still a member of the board.

As far as the lawsuit goes, the company stated the following:

“We are saddened and disappointed that John Schnatter has filed a needless and wasteful lawsuit in an attempt to distract from his own words and actions.”

 

Subscribe to our Insider

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" msg_composer="" msg_succ_radius="0" display="column" gap="12" input_padd="12px" input_border="0" btn_text="Subscribe Now" pp_check_size="15" pp_check_radius="50" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn19" msg_succ_bg="#12b591" f_msg_font_family="702" f_msg_font_size="13" f_msg_font_spacing="0.5" f_msg_font_weight="400" input_color="#000000" input_place_color="#666666" f_input_font_family="702" f_input_font_size="13" f_input_font_weight="400" f_btn_font_family="702" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" f_btn_font_size="12" f_btn_font_spacing="0.5" btn_bg="#3894ff" btn_bg_h="#2b78ff" pp_check_border_color="#ffffff" pp_check_border_color_c="#ffffff" pp_check_bg_c="#ffffff" pp_check_square="#2b78ff" pp_check_color="rgba(255,255,255,0.8)" pp_check_color_a="#3894ff" pp_check_color_a_h="#2b78ff" msg_err_radius="0"]

━ more like this

Discovering the Best Burgers in Michigan: My Journey to Oakwood Proper Burgers

As a food enthusiast and burger aficionado, I recently had the pleasure of embarking on a mouthwatering adventure in Traverse City, Michigan. My assignment...

President Joe Biden Won’t Seek Reelection, Endorses Kamala Harris

In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, President Joe Biden drops out of presidential race. This unexpected move...

Nancy Pelosi’s Influence on Democrats’ Bid to Oust Biden

In the simmering cauldron of U.S. politics, the whispers of discontent are growing louder, stirred by the very hands that once shaped the Democratic...

Former President Trump Injured in Apparent Assassination Attempt at Pennsylvania Rally

In a harrowing incident that has gripped the nation, a trump rally shooting in Butler Pennsylvania has left one person dead and raised immediate questions about...

Experience the Adrenaline Rush of this Thriller: Kill Movie Review

Last night, I had the privilege of attending the premiere of the highly anticipated movie "Kill" at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. As a...