One of Fox News Channel's top anchors has filed a lawsuit against her former boss, Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, alleging wrongful termination and sexual harassment.
The news came in a bombshell email sent to reporters on Wednesday morning by the law firm representing Gretchen Carlson, the host of “The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson” and former co-host of the morning show "Fox & Friends."
According to the lawyers at Smith Mullin P.C., who are representing Carlson, her contract was terminated on June 23. Fox News did not publicly announce the contract termination, and Carlson said on her Twitter account at the time that she was on “on vacation”.
"I have strived to empower women and girls throughout my entire career,” Carlson said in a statement. “Although this was a difficult step to take, I had to stand up for myself and speak out for all women and the next generation of women in the workplace. I am extremely proud of my accomplishments at Fox News and for keeping our loyal viewers engaged and informed on events and news topics of the day.”
POLITICO has reached out to Fox News for comment, and will update this story when we hear more. A spokesman for Fox News parent company 21st Century Fox directed inquiries to Fox News.
The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey and claims Ailes made “sexually-charged comments” to Carlson, "ranging from lewd innuendo, ogling and remarks about Ms. Carlson’s body to demands for sex as a way for her to improve her job standing."
“[D]uring a meeting last September in which Ms. Carlson complained about ongoing discriminatory and retaliatory treatment, Mr. Ailes stated, "I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you’d be good and better and I’d be good and better," adding that "sometimes problems are easier to solve' that way,” according to Carlson’s lawyers.
On other occasions, the complaint alleges Ailes asked Carlson to "turn around so he could view her posterior, commented repeatedly about her legs, and instructed her to wear certain outfits that he claimed enhanced her figure.” Ailes also allegedly “directed sexist comments” about Carlson in public and announced to others at a industry event that “he had slept with three former Miss Americas, but not with her.”
The complaint goes on to allege that Carlson was fired from “Fox & Friends” in 2013 because she complained about co-host Steve Doocy’s actions. Ailes, the complaint alleges, mocked Carlson and told her to stop being offended “so God damned easy.” Though she was moved to host her own show in the afternoon hour, the complaint alleges that the move was a demotion and that Ailes “reduced her compensation and withheld network support and promotion for her show.”
"We believe that the evidence will confirm that Gretchen was fired from ‘Fox & Friends’ for speaking up about demeaning and discriminatory behavior on and off the set,” Nancy Erika Smith, employment litigator at Smith Mullin P.C., who is representing Carlson, said in a statement.
Though the complaint was filed against Ailes, Doocy is also cited for alleged sexual harassment.
"Doocy engaged in a pattern and practice of severe and pervasive sexual harassment of Carlson, including, but no limited to, mocking her during commercial breaks, shunning her off air, refusing to engage with her on air, belittling her contributions to the show, and generally attempting to put her in her place by refusing to accept and treat her as an intelligent and insightful journalist rather than a blond (sic) female prop," the complaint alleges.
Carlson, a former Miss America (1989), joined Fox in 2005 after five years as a news correspondent and co-host of "The Saturday Early Show" on CBS. In her 2015 book "Getting Real", Carlson detailed several instances of sexual assault, starting from the beginning of her career, without naming any names.
“We believe that Mr. Ailes’ behavior toward Gretchen, as described in the complaint, speaks volumes about what she had to endure. The evidence will show that Ailes deliberately sabotaged the career of a talented, hard-working journalist and loyal Fox News employee. Opposing sexism and rejecting unwanted sexual come-ons should never cost a woman her job or subject her to disparagement and emotional anguish,” said Martin Hyman, a partner in the New York firm Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe LLP, who, is co-counsel for Carlson.
The complaint seeks compensatory damages, damages for mental anguish, and punitive damages.
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