ABC cuts ties with Jessica Mulroney after she threatened to sue black influencer

ABC has cut ties with Jessica Mulroney, Meghan Markle’s best friend, for threatening to sue black influencer Sasha Exeter after the pair got into a row over racism on Instagram. 

DailyMail.com exclusively learned on Friday that Mulroney would never be returning to her occasional role as a fashion contributor on Good Morning America. 

Mulroney was fired by CTV and department store Hudson Bay then took to Instagram on Thursday night to say she was stepping back from all work engagements.  

In a statement to DailyMail.com on Friday, an GMA spokeswoman said: ‘As Jessica Mulroney said last night, she is stepping away from her professional engagements and that includes Good Morning America. She will no longer appear on our show.’ 

Mulroney threatened Sasha Exeter with a lawsuit after Exeter publicly revealed that they’d been embroiled in a private war of words over racism. 

All of the details of their exchange are not known but according to Exeter, Mulroney responded ‘personally’ to a ‘generic call to action’ that the black single mother issued on her Instagram page weeks ago, asking white influencers to use their platforms to advance the Black Lives Matter movement. 

It’s unclear how exactly Mulroney responded but the two – who were once ‘acquaintances’ – started arguing and it ‘ultimately’ escalated to Mulroney telling Exeter that she was going to contact companies that Exeter worked with. 

When Exeter went public, Mulroney posted a comment on her Instagram page for others to see in which she apologized. Exeter claims she however then sent her a private message, threatening to sue her for libel. 

‘Liable suit. Good luck,’ she wrote, misspelling the complaint she seemingly intended to make. 

Canadian television network CTV fired Mulroney on Thursday and axed her wedding show, I do, Redo. She was also dropped by a clothing company she worked with. 

On Thursday night, Mulroney issued a statement on her own Instagram page to say she’d had time to reflect on her actions and that she is genuinely remorseful. 

‘She rightfully called me out for not doing enough when it came to engaging in the important and difficult conversation around race and injustice in our society.

‘I took it personally and that was wrong. I need to do better. I did not intend in any way to jeopardize her livelihood. We had a disagreement and it got out of hand.

‘For that I am sorry. I’m going to be stepping back from social media in the coming days and giving my microphone to Black voices by having them take over my account.

‘I have also asked Sasha if she would be willing to take over my account whenever she is comfortable and tell her story,’ she said. 

ABC’s decision to severe ties with her came after staffers told DailyMail.com that they wanted her to be shown the door.   

‘Why isn’t ABC firing her? Her actions are completely unacceptable and do not reflect the values of Good Morning America.

‘We have a wonderfully diverse team – yet Jessica used her privilege to get her job and should be fired for her behavior in abusing it. 

‘CTV quickly fired her and many Canadian brands have done the same, why aren’t we doing that? This sends the wrong message.”

‘Plus she should be fired for working on a news show and not being able to spell libel.

‘ABC needs to take a stand. What are they afraid of? P**ssing off Meghan and Harry or the Trudeau family? 

‘The abuse of privilege here is outrageous,’ the staffer said.  

The row began several weeks ago but Exeter only revealed it on Wednesday. 

In an IGTV video, she said she’d made a ‘very generic call to action’ at the start of the movement asking all influencers to use their platforms for good. 

It’s unclear what exactly happened next but Jessica responded, despite Exeter not calling her out publicly, and they started privately arguing.  

It escalated and eventually, Mulroney told her: ‘I have also spoken to companies and people about the way you have treated me unfairly. 

‘You think your voice matters. Well it only matters if you express it with kindness and without shaming people who are simply trying to learn. Good luck.’ 

Exter said she was dumbfounded by the response and ‘paralyzed with fear’ that her partnerships or endorsements may be taken from her. 

She said she ‘by no means’ thinks Mulroney is racist but that she is acutely aware of her white privilege.

‘I’m by no means calling Jess a racist, but she is very well aware of her wealth, her perceived power and privilege because of the colour of her skin. 

‘And that my friends, gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing. Textbook white privilege really.’ 

Mulroney has been slammed by her friend and fellow TV presenter Tracy Moore, who is black. 

She said Jessica had ‘used her extreme privilege to potentially bury a Black sister’. 

‘I am a friend. I am also a Black woman. The emotional labor often falls on our backs to speak up, push through and fight hard,’ Moore said. 

‘Let’s unlearn lashing out at Black women as a legitimate response to feeling called out.’ 

CTV axed her, saying: ‘Bell Media and CTV encourages our entire team including on-air talent to practice respect, inclusivity and allyship as we pledge to work better and more openly to listen to and amplify black voices, and not minimize them. 

‘Because recent conduct by one of our shows hosts, Jessica Mulroney, conflicts with our commitment to diversity and equality, CTV has removed ‘I DO REDO’ from all Bell Media channels and platforms effective immediately.’ 

Hours later, Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay announced on Instagram that ‘in light of recent events’ they too would be distancing themselves from Mulroney,  firing her as their fashion and bridal specialist.

‘Over the past week Hudson’s Bay has committed to doing better,’ the statement read. ‘As we move forward, our leadership associates and ambassadors must reflect our brand inclusivity, equality and respect for all. We will not tolerate anything less.’    

Exeter suggested that Mulroney felt ‘sharing that this really wasn’t a problem that she wanted to share on her social channels’, used ‘excuses that she would be bullied by the public and media’, and ‘claimed her show was more important to promote.’ 

Revealing the ‘threatening’ message, Exeter said: ‘I’m still shaking my head at this attempt and the audacity she had. 

‘Not only is Mulroney very well aware of her white privilege but just like her fellow Canadian Amy Cooper, she spewed out that threat so effortlessly,’ she said. Cooper was the woman who called police on a black birdwatcher in Central Park in a video which was widely shared last month. 

Exeter continued: ‘But I think what makes this situation really horrendous is the threat or claim she was going ahead to speak to brands or companies that I potentially haven’t worked with or could possibly work with. That is a threat. That’s a threat to my livelihood.’  

‘For her to threaten me? A single mother, a single black mother, during a racial pandemic? Blows my mind, it is absolutely unbelievable.’

Exeter continued to say that she felt Mulroney ‘realised she had screwed up big time’ and ‘that resulted in a lot of back pedalling’.

Meanwhile the influencer said: ‘Amidst all this craziness, I remained paralysed with fear. 

‘I stayed up days and nights wondering what could she be saying to my existing brand partners, potential work, potential livelihood. What could this mean for my career?

‘I spoke to my parents, who were legitimately stressed and worried about how this would affect me if I stood up for myself.’

Exeter said that the ‘only take away is this sh** needs to stop right now….You cannot be posting that you stand in solidarity, while attempting to silence somebody via text.’   

In a comment posted on the video clip, Mulroney said she was ‘unequivocally sorry’,  adding that being Meghan’s ‘closest friend’ has ‘deeply educated’ her about race.

‘As I told you privately, I have lived a very public and personal experience with my closest friend where race was front and centre. It was deeply educational,’ Mulroney responded.

She posted another apology to Exeter Thursday, this time on her own Instagram page, insisting the former athlete had ‘rightfully called me out for not doing enough when it came to engaging in the important and difficult conversation around race and injustice in our society.

‘I took it personally and that was wrong. I know I need to do better,’ she continued. ‘I want to say from my heart that every more of my apologies to Sasha over the course of the last two weeks privately, and again both publicly and privately today is true. 

‘I did not intend in any way to jeopardize her livelihood … for that I am sorry,’ she said.  

Last week Mulroney said she was taking a break from social media, after revealing that ‘someone dear to her told her to stand up to racism’.

Mulroney, who lives in Toronto with husband Ben Mulroney, 44, twins John and Brian, 9, and 7-year-old Ivy, took to Instagram to reveal she was ‘taking a week off to educate herself’.

The Canadian stylist has previously slammed ‘racist bullies’ when she appeared to reference the trolling Meghan was suffering. 

Mulroney’s reality show, I Do, Redo, premiered on CTV at the end of March and was also released internationally on Netflix. 

The series followed Jessica as she helped couples move on from their disastrous weddings by giving them the nuptials they’ve ‘always dreamed of.’ 

Mulroney also presents a fashion segment for ABC’s Good Morning America. The network has not yet confirmed if it will be taking any disciplinary action against the 40-year-old.