Who Is America? made a questionable move to book the antigay politician Roy Moore.
Producers of Sacha Baron Cohen's Showtime series donated $200 to a charity of Moore's choice -- the Foundation for Moral Law, an organization that advocates against same-sex marriage and abortion.
The donation was a condition of Moore's appearance on Who Is America? -- a satirical show in which Cohen disguises himself as various characters before he interacts with conservative figures. In addition to Moore, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and former Maricopa County, Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio were also among the duped interviewees.
The condition was revealed this week as part of an ongoing lawsuit, in which the former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice claims he suffered $95 million in defamation damages from appearing on Who Is America?In the episode, Cohen waves a "pedophile detector" over Moore, and the fake device beeps.
Cohen and Showtime Networks filed a motion to transfer the case Tuesday with a District of Columbia federal judge, claiming that Moore signed a consent agreement that stipulated all legal claims must be disputed in New York.
Todd Schulman, a producer of Who Is America?, discussed the donation to the Foundation for Moral Law in his motion-to-transfer declaration, which discussed the consent agreement, a copy of which was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
Moore, whose run for the Senate earlier this year was derailed in part by accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior with teenage girls, including the assault of a 14-year-old, says in his suit that he was "falsely portrayed, mocked and defamed as a sex offender and pedophile" in the segment of Who Is America?
In the lawsuit, Moore says he has "suffered extreme emotional distress" because of the portrayal and that Cohen tricked him into doing the interview. The defendants dispute these claims.