Billy Bush, host of the television show “Extra” to whom former President Donald Trump bragged in 2005 about kissing and groping women, is dismissing his lawsuit against a Maine boat dealer for allegedly failing to deliver a boat for which he has partially paid.
Bush, 50, of California claimed that Yachting Solutions LLC of Rockport refused to refund his down payment on the $257,000 motor boat when he demanded one.
The voluntary dismissal notice was filed Tuesday, two weeks after the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Portland by Bush’s attorney, Lee Bals of Portland. Bush had sought a refund of the $171,474 deposit for the boat and attorneys’ fees.
Bals said Tuesday that “the matter was resolved amicably.” The lawyer did not say if the company refunded Bush’s down payment or if he took delivery of the boat.
Gary Vogel, the Portland attorney representing Yachting Solutions, said last month that the delay in delivery was because of problems with the manufacture of a new boat during a pandemic.
He said Wednesday that Yachting Solutions “was able to find another suitable boat for Mr. Bush that was not delayed in delivery by the manufacturer.”
The case was filed in federal court because Bush, a first cousin to former President George W. Bush and ex-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, lives in the Los Angeles area and the business is located in Maine.
Bush was fired from the “Today” show in 2016 when the 2005 tape with Trump became public. Trump and Bush were on a bus on their way to film an episode of “Access Hollywood,” which Bush then hosted, when the exchange was recorded. Bush engaged with Trump while the man who would go onto become president bragged about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with women.
The recording surfaced during Trump’s campaign for president the month before the election. The following year, Bush said that he wished he’d changed subjects when Trump talked about grabbing women by the genitals.
Bush, whose full name is William Hall Bush, has hosted “Extra,” a syndicated newsmagazine on the Fox network, since 2019. He had been on “Today” for only two months when he was fired in 2016.