The Smoking Gun has the news: former Village Voice editor Richard Goldstein, 61, has filed suit agains the paper, alleging that he was sexually harassed in the workplace based on his openly gay lifestyle, and that he was unjustly fired after 38 years for that reason last year. Goldstein claims that Voice editor Donald Forst created a hostile work environment with "crude" and "lewd" comments about his lifestyle. He also alleges age discrimination at the Voice. He is seeking in $1 million-plus in damages.

Goldstein filed the lawsuit following a finding by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that it was "unable to conclude that the information obtained establishes violations of the statues. This does not certify that the respondent [the Voice] is in compliance with the statutes." Voice spokesperson Jessica Bellucci says that the complaint is "without merit" that the paper would defend against the charges.

Interestingly, The Smoking Gun staff has issued a disclaimer: "The entire TSG staff has previously worked in some capacity at The Village Voice. We know all parties mentioned in the below federal lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court." That is an interesting career trajectory, no?

Village Voice Sex Harass Suit [TSG]