Sumner Redstone’s daughter Shari Redstone has come out in support of her father following the ousting of longtime Viacom executive Philippe Dauman from Redstone’s trust.
“l fully support my father’s decisions and respect his authority to make them,” Shari Redstone said in a statement Saturday.
The move comes after Viacom released its own statement, accusing the younger Redstone of manipulating her aging father to win control of Viacom and National Amusements, a theater chain that serves as a holding company for Redstone’s media assets.
“The actions taken yesterday in Sumner Redstone’s name are completely inconsistent with his long expressed wishes and intent and extremely disruptive and damaging to Viacom and all its shareholders,” a company spokesman wrote in a statement.
During lengthy Viacom board meetings this week, the statement added, neither Sumner nor Shari Redstone raised any concerns. “Not a sound was heard from Sumner, who was connected by phone,” the spokesman wrote.
A lawyer for Redstone described the action taken Friday as “decisive and lawful” after the media mogul had raised concerns about Viacom’s performance.
Sumner Redstone was at the center of a salacious lawsuit involving a former girlfriend, Manuela Herzer, who sued after she was evicted last year from his mansion. That suit was dismissed but Herzer filed new papers against Shari Redstone.