Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, a key legal opponent of Diddy, is stepping back from over a dozen sex trafficking lawsuits filed against the music mogul in New York federal court. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Buzbee has filed to withdraw as counsel in 15 cases within the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
Buzbee’s decision follows legal pushback from Diddy, who recently argued that the attorney had no authority to file lawsuits in SDNY since he isn’t admitted to practice law in the district. Acknowledging this in his court filing, Buzbee admitted, “I made an error in judgment by failing to inform you that I was not admitted to the Southern District.” He further explained that his admission status had become a “distraction.” It was diverting attention away from Diddy’s alleged victims, leading him to step aside.
Despite Buzbee’s withdrawal, the lawsuits will continue as the plaintiffs remain represented by New York law firms. His exit follows opposition from Diddy’s legal team. They challenged his attempt to gain admission in one of the cases, specifically the lawsuit brought by Candice McCrary.
While Buzbee is pulling back from the federal cases, he remains active in Diddy-related litigation. He is still representing plaintiffs in lawsuits filed in New York state courts. He also plans to bring new cases against Diddy in Nevada and California.
Speaking to TMZ, Buzbee clarified, “I personally withdrew, not my firm, from the few federal court cases we have on file until such time as my admission is cleared up.” He also noted that his SDNY admission was delayed due to a grievance filed by Jay-Z in a separate case but maintained that he is a “licensed New York lawyer in good standing.”
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