BEIJING, Jan. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- A New York judge indicated Wednesday he was leaning toward allowing former CBS news anchor Dan Rather's 70 million U.S. dollar lawsuit over being fired by the television network to go forward.

    "I concluded there was enough in the complaint (by Rather) to continue with discovery (pretrial research)," state Judicial Hearing Officer Ira Gammerman said at a hearing on CBS’motion to toss the case.

    The judge did not issue a final ruling on CBS’motion, but suggested the parties try to agree on the scope of pretrial discovery — just in case — and told them to return to court Jan. 23 for a conference.

    Rather, 75, whose last months at CBS were clouded by a disputed story on President Bush's Vietnam-era military service, says his employers made him a "scapegoat" to placate the White House after questions arose about the story.

    The lawsuit names CBS Corp., former CBS parent Viacom Inc., CBS President Leslie Moonves, Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone and former CBS News President Andrew Heyward. It seeks 20 million dollars in compensatory damages and 50 million dollars in punitive damages.

    "Allowing the case to go forward with discovery will put us on the road to finding out what really happened involving big corporations and powerful interests in Washington and their intrusions into newsrooms, which is the reason I'm here," Rather said. "That is the red, beating heart of this case."

    CBS issued a statement saying: “We are very pleased that the judge is seriously considering our motion to dismiss the case, and we eagerly await his decision on that motion. In that regard, the court indicated that portions of the lawsuit may not survive our motion to dismiss.”

    Rather was removed from his "CBS Evening News" post in March 2005, six months after he narrated a report that said Bush disobeyed orders and shirked some of his duties during his National Guard service. The report also said a commander felt pressured to sugarcoat Bush's record.

    (Agencies)