SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Potential buyers for Yahoo's (NASDAQ: YHOO) businesses reportedly balked today after a Santa Clara County judge allowed a lawsuit seeking $800 million in damages to move forward. The lawsuit, filed by a 20-year-old resident of San Jose and former Army specialist, alleges the company rejected him based on his veteran status.

According to court documents, newly discharged veteran James Rivers, who, until recently, thought "Silicon Valley" was a local gentleman's club, alleges the hiring managers did not fairly consider him for their Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Development Officer, or Head of North American ad sales, simply because he "served his country with distinction" and not because he lacks the requisite education or experience expected of a Fortune 1000 executive.

"I didn't give the Army two years of my life to come home to face this kind of treatment," said Rivers.

"I think it is obvious that they were influenced by the liberal media and afraid of what a hard-charging, motivated Army veteran brings to the table."