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Kroger’s former CEO has been ordered by a judge in Ohio to explain his abrupt resignation from the grocery store chain earlier this year in an unrelated lawsuit that involves pop star Jewel.
The “You Were Meant for Me” singer and a business partner sued Kroger over its involvement in launching the company’s Wellness Festival and are seeking damages over contractual disputes, according to Fortune.
In their lawsuit, they say the reason for Rodney McMullen’s resignation in March could be pertinent to their case “regarding his credibility and relevant to the existence of an allegedly corrupt corporate culture at Kroger,” court documents dated Aug. 1 and obtained by Fox News Digital said.
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McMullen’s lawyers had argued that requiring him to disclose why he resigned would be “irrelevant” to the case and personally “embarrassing” and sought a protective order, but Judge Christian A. Jenkins ordered him to submit his reasons for resigning in writing, which will be privately reviewed by the judge.
In Kroger’s press release this year announcing McMullen’s resignation, the company said that while his behavior was “’unrelated to the business,’ his personal conduct was ‘inconsistent with Kroger’s Policy on Business Ethics,’” according to court documents.
“Based on this, it is plausible that this evidence could reflect on Mr. McMullen’s credibility, or Kroger’s corporate culture, as alleged by Plaintiff,” the judge said, adding that “without knowing the basis for the alleged embarrassment, it is impossible to weight it against the relevancy and proportionality.”
He added that, despite the “court’s reticence,” he would order McMullen to answer privately under oath “the facts and circumstances relating to your resignation from the Kroger Co.”
After a review, the court could grant McMullen’s request for a protective order and make his answer for “judicial eyes only.”
The Aug. 1 order gave McMullen seven days to comply.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Jewel and Kroger for comment.
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