Another Former Fox News Host Files Harassment Suit
August 23 2016 - 3:00PM
Dow Jones News
Former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros filed a lawsuit that
accuses former network chief Roger Ailes of sexually harassing her
and alleges that his associates subsequently intimidated her and
harmed her career.
Ms. Tantaros said in the suit, filed Monday in New York State
Supreme Court, that after she rebuffed Mr. Ailes's advances, she
was removed as a co-host of "The Five," a weekday program, and
moved to a less prestigious program with fewer viewers.
Ms. Tantaros alleged that Mr. Ailes's "actions were condoned by
his most senior lieutenants, who engaged in a concerted effort to
silence Tantaros by threats, humiliation, and retaliation."
Defendants include Fox News, Mr. Ailes and William Shine, who
earlier this month was promoted to co-president of Fox News. At the
time of his promotion, Mr. Shine was senior executive vice
president of programming for Fox News and Fox Business.
A spokeswoman for Fox News said the cable news network can't
comment on pending litigation, and attempts to reach Mr. Ailes and
Mr. Shine were unsuccessful.
Ms. Tantaros's lawsuit follows a suit filed in July by former
Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson against Mr. Ailes that alleged Ms.
Carlson's contract wasn't renewed after she rejected his advances.
Mr. Ailes has denied the allegations. He subsequently resigned last
month and received an exit package valued at more than $40
million.
Other women also have come forward and told investigators hired
by Fox that they were harassed by Mr. Ailes, people familiar with
the situation have said. He also has denied those allegations.
Fox News-parent 21st Century Fox Inc. and News Corp, owner of
The Wall Street Journal and HarperCollins Publishers, each count
the Murdoch family as a major shareholder. Rupert Murdoch is
executive chairman of both companies and became acting chief
executive of Fox News after Mr. Ailes resigned July 21.
According to the suit, Fox News told Ms. Tantaros that she was
removed from her program because she had violated company
guidelines by failing to disclose a coming book she had written,
"Tied Up in Knots," which was published this year by HarperCollins.
Ms. Tantaros said she provided Fox News with adequate information
about the book.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Tantaros said "Fox News masquerades as
defender of traditional values, but behind the scenes, it operates
like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in
intimidation, indecency and misogyny."
The suit also alleged she was the target of nasty comments
online from fake accounts "operated by Fox News's media relations
department designed to make it appear that they were maintained by
persons unrelated to Fox News."
Ms. Tantaros alleged that during a meeting with Mr. Shine in the
spring of 2015, she asked for "relief from Ailes's harassment" and
that Mr. Shine responded by describing Mr. Ailes as a "very
powerful man" and that Ms. Tantaros "needed to let this one
go."
Before the lawsuit was filed and in response to a magazine story
earlier this month detailing Ms. Tantaros's allegations, Mr.
Shine—through a Fox News representative—said Ms. Tantaros had not
made any complaints about Mr. Ailes sexually harassing her.
The other defendants in Ms. Tantaros's suit are Dianne Brandi,
the chief in-house lawyer for Fox News; Irena Briganti, the
network's top communications executive; and Suzanne Scott, head of
programming. Attempts to reach those other defendants also were
unsuccessful.
Ms. Tantaros is seeking millions of dollars in damages from Fox
News and the other defendants.
Write to Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at
jeffrey.trachtenberg@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 23, 2016 14:45 ET (18:45 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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