David Mueller, the radio DJ accused of groping Taylor Swift, received a new job co-hosting a morning show in Mississippi, the Daily News reports. Mueller, who previously went by the pseudonym “Jackson,” will now appear on-air as “Stonewall Jackson” and co-host “Jackson and Jonbob” on 92.7 KIX.
Mueller’s new boss, Delta Radio CEO Larry Fuss, defended his decision to hire the disgraced DJ in an interview with the Daily News saying, “I sat down with him face-to-face in Minneapolis before I offered him the job and talked to him about it. He’s either the world’s best liar, or he’s telling the truth. I tend to believe his version of the story and most people who have talked to him face-to-face do believe his version of the story.”
Swift accused Mueller of reaching under her skirt and grabbing her butt during a backstage meet-and-greet in 2013. Mueller sued Swift in 2015 for $3 million, claiming the accusations were false and cost him his job at the Denver radio station, KYGO. Swift then countersued Mueller for assault and battery. Last August, a jury sided with Swift – who testified at the trial – and forced Mueller to pay the pop star a symbolic $1.
Fuss admitted that his decision to hire Mueller was “maybe a tiny bit” about the publicity such a controversial move would garner, but he insisted that his primary reason was that Mueller “sounds good” on the radio.
Fuss also fired back at fans upset with his decision, claiming that most people writing angry comments on the KIX Facebook page were not from Mississippi (he added that the station has been deleting such comments). “It’s all originating from some Taylor Swift fan group somewhere,” he said. “They’re telling people to go to this station’s webpage and post negative comments. It’s just people who don’t have a clue, or don’t really have any knowledge of the facts.”
Mueller has consistently denied that he groped Swift, claiming at the trial, “My hand came into contact with part of her body. I felt what appeared to be a ribcage or rib.” Swift’s legal team, however, focused on a picture from the photo-op that showed Mueller standing next to Swift with his hand behind her and below her waist.
During her testimony, Swift called Mueller’s actions “a definite grab” and described the incident as “horrifying and shocking.” She added: “This was not jostling. We were perfectly in position for the photograph to be taken. What Mr. Mueller did was very intentional.”
