Ex-Fox News anchor sues boss Roger Ailes for sexual harassment

'Law & Order: SVU' Sets Cast for Roger Ailes-Inspired Episode | Hollywood Reporter

Christopher McDonald will play a network boss accused of rape by a female news anchor (Bonnie Somerville).

Quote:

Just as Fox News finds itself in the midst of another round of sexual harassment controversy, Law & Order: SVU is firming up its own take on the cable news network.

Christopher McDonald (Thelma and Louise), Bonnie Somerville (Friends) and Mark Moses (Mad Men) are set to headline an April episode of the NBC procedural seemingly inspired by the Roger Ailes scandal that led to the longtime chief's departure.

The episode, titled "The Newsroom," is described as follows: "Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Barba (Raúl Esparza) ask witnesses to put their jobs on the line after a news anchor (Somerville) makes an on-air disclosure of rape against her boss." McDonald will play Somerville's character's boss while Moses will play her co-anchor.

The episode will air on Wednesday, April 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Continued at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/li...sets-cast-roger-ailes-inspired-episode-990945

20 companies pull ads from 'The O'Reilly Factor' in growing backlash | CNN

Excerpt:

Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW of North America, Mitsubishi Motors, Lexus, Constant Contact, Bayer, Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, Orkin, UNTUCKit, Allstate, Esurance (which is owned by Allstate), T. Rowe Price, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Credit Karma, Wayfair, The Wonderful Company, TrueCar and the Society for Human Resource Management are pulling ads from "The O'Reilly Factor" after a report about five settlements with women who alleged sexual harassment or verbal abuse by O'Reilly.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/03/media/mercedes-ads-bill-oreilly/

Don Lemon Claps Back At Bill O'Reilly With A Jab About Harassment Claims | The Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/don-lemon-bill-oreilly-tweets_us_58e40616e4b03a26a3672236

Donald Trump: “I Don’t Think Bill O’Reilly Did Anything Wrong” | Deadline

Quote:

The President of the United States defended Fox News Channel primetime star Bill O’Reilly in an interview this morning with New York Times reporters.

“I don’t think Bill did anything wrong,” Donald Trump told NYT reporters in an Oval Office sit-down, surrounded by half a dozen of his highest ranking acolytes, including Vice President Mike Pence, who has previously said he will not dine or drink booze in the presence of any woman other than his wife.

Trump defended O’Reilly from the Oval Office four days after the Times reported O’Reilly and Fox News Channel had settled five lawsuits filed by women claiming sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior. Approximately 20 advertisers have bailed on FNC’s The O’Reilly Factor in the wake of the report.

“He’s a person I know well; he’s a good person,” Trump said of O’Reilly.

O’Reilly’s only mistake, Trump said, was in settling the lawsuits. NYT put the dollar amount paid out by the stars and/or employer at $13M over the years.

“I think he shouldn’t have settled, personally. I think he shouldn’t have settled. Because you should have taken it all the way,” said Trump, whose presidential campaign survived release of an old Access Hollywood video in which he was heard bragging about being so famous he could grab women “by the pussy” with impunity.

Source: http://deadline.com/2017/04/donald-trump-bill-oreilly-defends-did-nothing-wrong-1202062194/

Sick old Fucks Fox News needs to be shut down, and that right soon.

Roger Ailes. Bill O'Reilly. Donald Trump.

FOX News - from the "Fair and Balanced Network" to "The Old Boys' Network."

Because if she's Fair, FOX will end up owing her a Balance on that giant settlement they'll have to pay her.

Fair-skinned, fair-haired, fair of face - those attributes are seemingly more important than being fair and balanced when FOX News makes hiring and programming decisions for their female 'casters.

This slowly and publicly unfolding scandal gives a very candid glimpse of a corporate culture that is toxic and clearly has been for a long time.

Advertisers Back Away From Bill O'Reilly | NPR

Advertisers are pulling out of Bill O'Reilly's show on Fox News after O'Reilly paid out millions to settle sexual harassment suits. Some women employees there are distressed he is still on the air.

Transcript:

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Advertisers are not the only ones backing away from Bill O'Reilly. More than 50 companies, as you may have heard, have said they would rather not be seen on O'Reilly's Fox News program right now. It turns out that some of his female colleagues are not happy either after O'Reilly - and his employers - acknowledged paying $13 million or so to settle at least five sexual harassment suits against him. NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik is here. Hi, David.

DAVID FOLKENFLIK, BYLINE: Hey, Steve.

INSKEEP: So what are you hearing from inside the company?

FOLKENFLIK: Well, there's a lot of anguish, distress and concern among employees at Fox News, particularly women, about the fact that Bill O'Reilly has been allowed to continue almost unrebuked by his employer seemingly. Let's remember - nine months ago, during the summer, the chairman, the really propulsive force behind the success of Fox News, Roger Ailes, was ousted - with a huge payday but nonetheless ousted - after a series of explosive allegations of sexual harassment against him, all of which he denies.

You know, the Murdoch family that controls the parent company, 21st Century Fox - Rupert Murdoch oversees Fox News directly now. They said it's a new day, a new climate. They'll take concerns of female employees very seriously, a bunch of changes in store. And yet, Bill O'Reilly, as this fresh attention from The New York Times and other places showed, is being allowed to continue despite the fact there had been multiple accusations of sexual harassment against him by former colleagues and in fact that they were so serious that they totaled these payments out in the many millions of dollars.

INSKEEP: Is the angst that you're hearing about Bill O'Reilly, or is it really about the company's response?

FOLKENFLIK: It's really both. There's sort of a contempt for O'Reilly from some of his colleagues, particularly female colleagues. And there's a cynicism about the degree of sincerity with which the Murdoch family and the top executives are operating.

You know, the only statement put out by 21st Century Fox since The New York Times offered fresh focus on this last weekend was simply to say, we've talked to Bill. He's assured us that he takes our commitment to a welcome workplace for all employees seriously. You know, I wonder why women at the network would take that particularly seriously. And in fact, the women at the network say they don't - that they're not convinced of it.

One of O'Reilly's defenses is - hey, they haven't taken advantage of the call-in hotline to make complaints; none of the women who have accused me did that. They say, why would we be convinced that that would be taken seriously when the network's human relations executives, top lawyers and even president, in the past, haven't taken our complaints seriously?

INSKEEP: And if I'm not mistaken, the company has also repeated that line about nobody called the hotline, which implies that none of these claims were really that serious. Now, the thing that's made headlines the last couple of days, though, is advertisers pulling out of the show. Does that really hurt the network?

FOLKENFLIK: Well, it's certainly something the network can relatively easily weather in the short term if the numbers don't keep growing. That is - most of the advertisers are shifting their commercials to other parts of the day. They may have to be given extra spots, extra commercials to make up for the premium that they paid to get into Bill O'Reilly's show in the first place in most cases. But that's weatherable.

O'Reilly certainly has had scandals in the past. And in fact, you know, his first sexual harassment claim against him that got public was more than a dozen years ago, and he certainly survived that after making a major payout.

INSKEEP: OK. So that's the short term. But can Rupert Murdoch, who's been overseeing Fox News, ride this out in the long term?

FOLKENFLIK: Well, the real question, in some ways, lies in the hands of federal prosecutors. There's an inquiry right now taking place into whether payments to women who made sexual allegations against Roger Ailes and perhaps Bill O'Reilly too, somehow that those payments were masked from investors. That could be a violation of federal law, and that could be a quite serious result as well.

Source. and audio: http://www.npr.org/2017/04/07/522968589/advertisers-back-away-from-bill-oreilly

Fox Asks Law Firm to Investigate Bill O’Reilly Harassment Claim

By Emily Steel, The New York Times

Quote:

21st Century Fox has enlisted the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to investigate at least one accusation of sexual harassment against the Fox News host Bill O’Reilly.

The move is the latest in the response to a New York Times investigation published this month on Mr. O’Reilly’s settlements with five women who complained of sexual harassment or other inappropriate behavior.

Wendy Walsh, a former guest on Mr. O’Reilly’s show who detailed accusations against him to The Times, called 21st Century Fox’s anonymous hotline last week, prompting the investigation.

“21st Century Fox investigates all complaints and we have asked the law firm Paul Weiss to continue assisting the company in these serious matters,” the company said in a statement on Sunday.

Paul Weiss is the same law firm that conducted an internal investigation into Roger Ailes, the former Fox News chairman. 21st Century Fox executives decided to dismiss Mr. Ailes after the lawyers took statements from at least six women who described inappropriate behavior by him.

In a statement, Mark Fabiani, a spokesman for Mr. O’Reilly, said the law firm was “already retained by the company to look into all hotline calls,” adding that there was “nothing special” about the handling of this case.

It was not clear how expansive the law firm’s investigation was into Mr. O’Reilly’s behavior. 21st Century Fox has said that it investigates all claims made through the company’s anonymous hotline.

In response to the Times investigation, both Mr. O’Reilly and 21st Century Fox, the parent company of Fox News, had said that no current or former Fox News employee had raised concerns about him through the hotline. Both Mr. O’Reilly and Mr. Ailes have denied the allegations against them.

Ms. Walsh said that Mr. O’Reilly did not follow through on a verbal offer to make her a network contributor after she declined an invitation to his hotel suite following dinner one night in 2013. She said that she had not received a settlement and was not seeking one.

Her lawyer, Lisa Bloom, said that they decided to call the hotline because the company had said that nobody had done so.

“We will fully cooperate with any investigation,” Ms. Bloom said. “Again, Wendy is not seeking any money, just accountability.”

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/09/business/media/fox-bill-oreilly-harassment-claim.html

John Oliver Is Buying Ads on ‘The O’Reilly Factor’ to Educate Donald Trump About Sexual Harassment

By Marlow Stern, The Daily Beast

Quote:

John Oliver is not afraid to put his money where his mouth is.

Back in February, realizing that President Trump gets most of his ideas from cable news, the Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight host purchased a series of ads to run against morning cable news programs that sought to educate the commander in chief about the nuclear triad — something he didn’t seem to know anything about during his presidential campaign. The Oliver-approved ads took on the guise of ones that regularly air on Trump’s favorite program, Fox & Friends, featuring a cowboy opening up about his catheter.

Well, the comedian is at it again. On Sunday night’s edition of his HBO program, Oliver revealed that he’s attempting to purchase ad time on The O’Reilly Factor in New York and Washington, D.C., in order to educate Trump about sexual harassment.

“We have produced an ad to educate Donald Trump to air during The O’Reilly Factor in New York and D.C. We submitted it to stations on Friday, but weirdly, we haven’t heard back from them since — which is a little surprising, because we are one of the only advertisers offering to buy time on his show at the moment,” said Oliver.

The reason for the purchase is that this past week, The New York Times reported that Fox News has been forced to settle five sexual harassment lawsuits over the years for a total of $13 million — all concerning its biggest and brashest star, Bill O’Reilly.

“Yes, Bill O’Reilly, who scientists hypothesize is kind of a dense nebula of boner and racism, has been paying out settlements for alleged harassment for years, and the details are pretty disturbing here, with the victims claiming things like verbal abuse, lewd comments, unwanted advances, and phone calls in which it sounded as if Mr. O’Reilly was masturbating,” said Oliver.

The Times report also revealed that two other women, including Dr. Wendy Walsh, have accused O’Reilly of unwanted sexual advances and wielding his workplace power in an unfair fashion. O’Reilly has denied the allegations, while Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, attempted to defend its star by claiming that none of the accusers attempted to call the company’s sexual harassment hotline. Meanwhile, as many as 60 advertisers have bailed on The O’Reilly Factor in the wake of the sexual harassment controversy.

One person is standing by O’Reilly, however: Trump. Yes, this past week, Trump told The New York Times, “He’s a good person… I know Bill. Bill’s a good person… I don’t think Bill would do anything wrong.”

“To recap this story for you: Bill O’Reilly needs advertisers and Donald Trump needs to understand sexual harassment. And here is where we come in,” announced Oliver.

The British satirist then aired a portion of the ad he hopes to air during The O’Reilly Factor — featuring the catheter cowboy teaching Trump about sexual harassment.

“Repeated unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks in the workplace constitutes sexual harassment. If there’s a power disparity between the two parties, well, that’s about as inappropriate as lubricating a catheter with hot sauce, partner. Why would you do that? I do not like pain when I cath,” said the cowboy. “And if you’ve got a friend who was accused of something like that over and over again, I might think twice about defending him, because that just contributes to a culture where women don’t want to come forward.”

Source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...ate-donald-trump-about-sexual-harassment.html

Fox News Sends Troubling Message in Standing by Bill O’Reilly | Variety

With Bill O’Reilly once again under scrutiny for sexual harassment, Fox News is faced with a foundational and significant question: Does the conservative media brand stand for anything besides dollar signs?

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/fox-news-bill-oreilly-ratings-employee-rights-money-1202028018/

Bill O’Reilly Says He Will Take Vacation In Midst of Controversy | Variety

http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/bill-oreilly-fox-news-sexual-harassment-2-1202027269/

Bill O’Reilly Is Going on Vacation. Will His Show Return? | NY Mag

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/is-bill-oreilly-going-off-the-air.html

Fox Is Preparing to Cut Ties With Bill O’Reilly | Wall Street Journal

Quote:

Fox News is preparing to cut ties with its biggest star, Bill O’Reilly, according to people close to the situation.

A final decision on Mr. O’Reilly’s fate could come as early as the next several days, the people said.

Continued at https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-is-preparing-to-cut-ties-with-bill-oreilly-1492566611

Bill O'Reilly On The Way Out At Fox News As Allegations Mount, Sources Say | Refinery29

Quote:

Bill O'Reilly and Fox News are talking exit, according to a CNN report. That news comes just hours after New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer reported that the Murdochs were turning against O'Reilly.

Allegations against O'Reilly continue to mount. One Black woman came forward today to say that O'Reilly had called her "hot chocolate" and leered at her. "He would never talk to her, not even hello, except to grunt at her like a wild boar," attorney Lisa Bloom tells The Hollywood Reporter. "He would leer at her. He would always do this when no one else was around and she was scared."

O'Reilly's attorney has denied the allegations in a statement to CNN.

The decision about O'Reilly's fate is expected to come within the week, as his vacation from The O'Reilly Factor will be over in just six days. The decision will likely be made at the Thursday meeting of 21st Century Fox's board of directors. O'Reilly's future is apparently on the agenda.

Fox has not yet confirmed these reports, which is no surprise given the delicate nature of the negotiations — and the massive public outcry against O'Reilly.

"Sources describe the Murdoch family discussions as fraught," NY Mag's Gabriel Sherman writes of Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch and his sons, Lachlan and James. "In some ways, deciding O’Reilly’s fate is more complicated than the decision to oust Ailes last summer. O’Reilly is Fox’s highest-rated host and the linchpin of the prime-time schedule, so his removal could have immediate effects on the network’s ratings. And according to one Fox source, Rupert has told people he does not want to fire O’Reilly because it would make it appear he was forced into a decision by 'the New York Times.'"

The news comes amidst a firestorm of controversy generated by a New York Times story detailing the laundry list of allegations against and settlements paid out by Fox News and O'Reilly. Women's groups have planned protests against the host and advertisers have exited The O'Reilly Factor as calls for a boycott have increased. Five women accused O’Reilly of sexual harassment or inappropriate conduct, resulting in settlements totaling about $13 million.

Fox News will no longer confirm that O'Reilly is returning to the air next week.

Continued at http://www.refinery29.com/2017/04/149269/bill-oreilly-fired-fox-news

Bill O’Reilly statement blasts far-left ‘brutal campaign of character assassination’ | TheBlaze

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An attorney for Bill O’Reilly released a statement Tuesday blaming “far-left” organizations for a smear campaign against him, saying that he’ll be revealing evidence of his claim.

“Bill O’Reilly has been subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America,” the statement from attorney Marc Kasowitz read.

The statement appeared to be in reference to the accusations of sexual harassment against Bill O’Reilly, who was on vacation this week from his show. In recent weeks he’s been assailed by protests and a social media campaign that has forced his show to hemorrhage dozens of advertisers.

“This law firm has uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by far-left organizations bent on destroying O’Reilly for political and financial reasons,” it concluded. “That evidence will be put forth shortly and it is irrefutable.”

The statement offered no evidence of the claim it made.

Continued at http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/0...t-brutal-campaign-of-character-assassination/

Fox ends ties with top-rated host Bill O'Reilly | Reuters

Quote:

Twenty-First Century Fox Inc has decided to part ways with star cable news host Bill O'Reilly following allegations of sexual harassment, the company said on Wednesday.

“After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company and Bill O’Reilly have agreed that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel,” the company said in a statement.

Continued at http://www.reuters.com/article/us-fox-oreilly-idUSKBN17L25V

...and he's gone!

Could it be that Rupert Murdoch and the rest of his 'far-left organization' are behind this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39647434

BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID O'REILLY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!!!!!

Full Frontal‏ @FullFrontalSamB 6 hours ago
Fixed.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/19/business/media/fox-news-timeline.html

"Here is a look at the nine and a half months that shook the network:"

"Kevin Naff is the editor and a co-owner of the Washington Blade, the nation’s oldest and most acclaimed LGBT news publication, founded in 1969."

That time I entered the ‘No Spin Zone’

By Kevin Naff, Washington Blade

Quote:

About 10 years ago, I entered the “No Spin Zone,” as a guest on Bill O’Reilly’s now-canceled Fox News show. The topic was my criticism of the cult of Scientology, which I bashed for, among other things, its use of “reparative therapy” to “cure” gays.

When I arrived on set — and before the cameras were rolling — O’Reilly was friendly, chatty and full of questions about the Blade, how long I’d worked there, etc. We talked amiably for several minutes about various topics before he started the show.

Then it was my turn in the hot seat and suddenly O’Reilly’s personality shifted from friendly and warm to the caricature so perfectly lampooned by Stephen Colbert — the ever-angry, red-faced defender of American values. When he likened gays to drug abusers, I called him out and he quickly replied, “Don’t be a wise guy.”

What most of his viewers don’t realize is that O’Reilly’s biggest talent isn’t as a broadcaster or author, but as an actor.

Prior to launching his Fox show, he hosted “Inside Edition,” an entertainment news show. Then he brilliantly created his angry everyman persona and turned it into a lucrative and mega-successful enterprise. Reports suggest he’s leaving Fox with a $25 million golden parachute.

That huge sum probably isn’t enough to soothe O’Reilly’s outsized ego after his public fall precipitated by the brave former female co-workers who exposed his serial sexual harassment — a situation that even O’Reilly couldn’t spin his way out of.

Source: https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/04/21/no-spin-zone-opinion/

Friends, Family Gather to Mourn and Honor Roger Ailes

Fox News legend remembered at intimate funeral service at St. Edward's in Palm Beach

By Kathryn Blackhurst, LifeZette

Quote:

Friends and family of former Fox News chairman and founding CEO Roger Ailes gathered together and mourned his death Saturday during an intimate service at the St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in Palm Beach, Florida.

Approximately 65 guests attended Ailes’ funeral service at 11 a.m. just two days after he passed away at age 77 following complications from a severe fall a few days earlier. Ailes’ wife, Elizabeth, and his son, Zachary, joined by several Fox News hosts and contributors, including LifeZette Editor-in-Chief Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity, Bill Hemmer, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Angela McGowen, Dr. Manny Alvarez, and retired U.S. Army Gen. Jack Keane. Radio host Rush Limbaugh was also in attendance with his wife, Kathryn.

Family and friends alike remembered Ailes as fiercely committed to his principles and always willing to lend a hand to an up-and-comer.

“I loved my father,” Ailes’ 17-year-old son, Zachary, told LifeZette. “He considered how much certain people hated him as a measure of success.”

Zachary pledged to fight to clear his father’s name after a series of sexual harassment allegations led to his ultimate ouster from Fox News.

“I want all the people who betrayed my father to know that I’m coming after them,” Zachary Ailes said during a speech at the ceremony, “and hell is coming with me.”

Continued at http://www.lifezette.com/polizette/friends-family-gather-mourn-honor-roger-ailes/

Roger Ailes' Son Says He's 'Coming After' Those Who 'Betrayed' His Late Father | Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...-betrayed-funeral_us_5921acafe4b094cdba54c0f7

Twitter comments: https://twitter.com/search?q=ZacharyAiles

Hopefully hell won't come after him.

We Are Suing for Roger Ailes' FBI File | Gizmodo

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This morning, Gizmodo filed a lawsuit against the FBI seeking access to any files it holds on Roger Ailes, the one-time chief executive of Fox News.

Gizmodo sought access to the records under the Freedom of Information Act on May 18, the day Ailes was found dead in his Palm Beach home due to a traumatic brain injury aggravated by his hemophilia. As one the most influential and controversial political figures of his era, we believe these files are likely to exist. The FBI failed to provide or formally deny access to the records within the time period allowed under the federal statute. Needless to say, we’d really like to read them.

Depending on whom you ask, Ailes either cultivated or destroyed American conservative politics. After humble beginnings in an abusive blue-collar home in Warren, Ohio, he grew to become a fixture in the White House by lending his media expertise to presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. For more than a decade, he reigned over what became the most-watched network in cable news history, serving to more than 2 million Americans daily his own brand of divisive, vitriolic and often racially-charged commentary.

As the story goes, President Obama once addressed him as “the most powerful man in the world.” Ailes replied back coolly: “Don’t believe what you read, Mr. President. I started those rumors myself.”

But his achievements will forever be overshadowed by the accusations of sexual harassment, coercion, psychological torture, blackmail, and surveillance of his employees that ultimately led to his downfall. Given the seriousness of the allegations raised by more than a half dozen women, he naturally found a home on the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, whom he’d gifted years before with a weekly segment on the Fox and Friends morning show.

There will be no justice for Ailes or his accusers. His death saw to that. But we can, perhaps, learn something we didn’t already know about the man who built a media empire before burning himself to the ground, if only the FBI would kindly hand over those records.

The complaint naming the FBI as defendant was filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York by the Law Office of Daniel R. Novack. You can view a copy below.

Continued at https://gizmodo.com/we-are-suing-for-roger-ailes-fbi-file-1797432481

Fox News Suspends Eric Bolling, Investigates Whether He Sent Lewd Pics To Colleagues

HuffPost reported Bolling sent graphic pictures to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and one colleague at Fox News several years ago on separate occasions.

Quote:

Fox News on Saturday suspended Eric Bolling, one of the network's hosts, as it investigates a report that he sent female colleagues unsolicited photos of male genitalia, BuzzFeed News has learned.

Journalist Yashar Ali first reported the news of both the suspension and the text messages for HuffPost.

Citing a dozen sources, HuffPost reported Bolling sent the pictures to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and one colleague at Fox News several years ago on separate occasions.

"Eric Bolling has been suspended pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway," a Fox News spokesperson told BuzzFeed News via email.

Law firm Paul Weiss will conduct the investigation, the spokesperson said.

Continued at https://www.buzzfeed.com/lissandravilla/fox-news-suspends-eric-bolling

New Sexual Harassment Allegations Leveled Against Fox News' Eric Bolling | HuffPost

The accusations came just hours after the network announced it had suspended Bolling.

Quote:

Three hours after Fox News announced it had suspended host Eric Bolling following allegations that he had sexually harassed female colleagues, a former Fox News guest leveled new accusations against him. Caroline Heldman, who appeared on the network frequently between 2008 and 2011, said Saturday that Bolling was one of three Fox News/Fox Business employees to subject her to sexual harassment.

Fox News announced Bolling’s suspension less than 24 hours after an exclusive HuffPost report revealed that the host had sent lewd text messages to female colleagues.

“Eric Bolling has been suspended pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement to HuffPost. The network did not immediately return request for comment on the new allegations against Bolling.

Bolling’s lawyer, Michael J. Bowe, did not immediately return a request for comment on Heldman’s accusations. But in response to HuffPost’s report about Bolling’s current and former colleagues accusing him of sending lewd photos, he said, “Mr. Bolling recalls no such inappropriate communications, does not believe he sent any such communications, and will vigorously pursue his legal remedies for any false and defamatory accusations that are made.”

Heldman referred to Bolling’s suspension in a post on her Facebook page, which HuffPost has confirmed belongs to her. ”My only surprise is that it took this long for people to come forward about Bolling’s behavior, which has been wildly inappropriate for years,” she said.

Heldman said she had also been subjected to sexual harassment by former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly and former Fox News consultant Woody Fraser. Mother Jones was first to report this week that Heldman, under the penalty of perjury, signed a declaration stating that Fraser offered her a paid Fox News contributor gig in exchange for sex.

“I did hundreds of appearances on Fox and Fox Business from 2008 - 2011, and had multiple experiences with Bolling that caused grave concern to my friends and family. Bolling referred to me as ‘Dr. McHottie’ on air on four different occasions, and called me ‘smart, beautiful, and wrong’ on air twice,” Heldman wrote in her Facebook post.

“Bolling would also contact me via phone and text after shows, sometimes to apologize for his behavior (and then do it again), and sometimes just to talk. He said he wanted to fly me out to New York for in-studio hits and to have ‘fun.’ He asked me to have meals with him on several occasions, but I found excuses not to go. Once, he took me up to his office in New York, showed me his baseball jerseys, and in the brief time I was there, let me know that his office was his favorite place to have sex,” she added. “I know other women have had similar experiences with Bolling, which means that lots of folks at Fox knew about his behavior well before 2017.”

Heldman also suggested in her Facebook post that the lawyers investigating the sexual harassment claims leveled against Bolling should speak to the makeup artists at Fox News.

“Make-up artists at Fox are contract workers, so many are fearful of speaking up because they simply won’t be hired again,” Heldman said. “If any Fox executives are reading this, please include make-up artists in your assessment of the environment. They see and hear a lot, and are sometimes the target of harassment from hosts and guests.”

Continued at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...sment-allegations_us_59865320e4b0cb15b1beebc6

Fox's Bolling has made sexist comments on air for years. He was just suspended while being investigated for harassment.

By Media Matters staff

Quote:

Fox News host Eric Bolling, who has for years made sexist remarks on air, has been suspended from the network pending an investigation into whether he sent “lewd photos” to female coworkers, according to CNN. HuffPost on August 4 reported that, according to a dozen sources, Bolling sent an “unsolicited photo of male genitalia via text message” to at least three Fox colleagues. Following HuffPost's initial report, one woman, who Bolling has previously called “Dr. McHottie,” has come forward about Bolling’s behavior toward her.

Bolling had a pattern of making sexist remarks as a co-host of Fox News’ The Five. In 2014, Bolling had to apologize for asking if the first female pilot for the United Arab Emirates, who conducted bombing against Islamic State terrorists, “would … be considered boobs on the ground.” Later that year, Bolling said men are “more successful ... and better leaders” than women. In 2013, he lamented that allowing young girls to play football was part of “the wussification of American men.” The year before, he had criticized a story of a 9-year-old girl playing football, saying, “Let the boys be boys, let the girls be girls.” And in 2015, Bolling cackled in response to co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle’s remark that “anything a guy can do, a woman can do better.”

The network has also been under increasing scrutiny following reports of workplace sexual and harassment and racial discrimination. Over the years, many women have come forward to reveal the sexual harassment they faced at the network. Last year, then-Fox News head Roger Ailes resigned in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In April, Fox host Bill O’Reilly was forced out after The New York Times reported on numerous sexual harassment lawsuits he quietly setted. In July, Fox Business host Charles Payne was suspended after sexual harassment allegations were levied against him. And a recent report in early August accused a former top Fox official of sexual harassment. Additionally, the network is also facing a racial harassment lawsuit from former Fox employees.

Continued at https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2...ust-suspended-while-being-investigated/217538

Eric Bolling, Suspended by Fox News, Sues Over Lewd-Photo Article | The New York Times

Quote:

Eric Bolling, the suspended Fox News host, initiated a $50 million defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against the author of a HuffPost report that said Mr. Bolling had sent lewd photographs to three female colleagues.

The article, by Yashar Ali, cited a dozen unidentified people who said that Mr. Bolling had “sent an unsolicited photo of male genitalia via text message to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and one colleague at Fox News.” On Saturday, a day after the article was published, Fox News said it had suspended Mr. Bolling pending an investigation into the accusations. The network said it had learned about the allegations following an inquiry from HuffPost.

Mr. Bolling is seeking at least $50 million in reputational, monetary and punitive damages and other costs, according to a summons filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. The summons cites what it calls Mr. Ali’s “efforts to injure the plaintiff’s reputation through the intentional and/or highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements about the plaintiff’s conduct and character.”

Mr. Bolling, who was most recently a host of “The Fox News Specialists,” is represented by Michael J. Bowe of the law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres. Marc E. Kasowitz, one of the firm’s partners, is a longtime personal lawyer for President Trump who has also represented Bill O’Reilly, the former Fox News host who was ousted in April amid allegations of sexual harassment.

“This anonymously sourced and uncorroborated story is false, defamatory, and obviously intended to destroy this good man’s career and family,” Mr. Bowe said in a statement. “We will defend Eric aggressively in court, where actual facts, based on evidence, testimony and cross-examination, will belie these anonymous accusations.”

Mr. Ali, in a series of messages posted on Twitter on Wednesday, said he stood by his reporting and would protect his sources.

“Not going to stop reporting on Eric Bolling or anyone else,” he said in one post. “I’ve had family members killed/jailed in Iran, a lawsuit isn’t going to scare me.”

Continued at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/09/business/eric-bolling-fox-news-lawsuit-lewd-photo-article.html

Yashar Ali‏ @yashar 7 hours ago
Just received a summons. Eric Bolling is suing me for defamation - $50 million in damages. I stand by my reporting + will protect my sources

Max Tani‏ @maxwelltani 5 hours ago
HuffPost statement on Bolling's suit against @yashar: “Yashar Ali is a careful and meticulous reporter. We stand by his reporting.”

Nathan McDermott‏ @natemcdermott 5 hours ago
Nathan McDermott Retweeted Yashar Ali
Should be noted the story had FOURTEEN sources and Bolling isn't suing HuffPost, the publisher that could theoretically pay $50 million

Lydia Polgreen‏ @lpolgreen 4 hours ago
Yashar Ali is a paid freelancer under contract with HuffPost. We have no hesitation about standing by him financially in this case.

Eric Chase Bolling Jr. Died in Bed After 'Emotional Torture' Over Dad's Firing | TMZ

Quote:

Eric Chase Bolling, Jr. died in his bed, TMZ has learned, after enduring "emotional torture" over the humiliation his dad was suffering, but the circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery.

Sources familiar with the death investigation tell TMZ, Eric Chase was "destroyed" by his dad's departure from Fox News Channel, forced out because years ago Eric Sr. had texted pics of his genitalia. Sources connected with Eric Sr. tell us he actually made the decision to part ways earlier than he wanted because he knew his son was having trouble dealing with the publicity and the embarrassment.

Our sources say Eric Chase was found in his bed Friday afternoon with the covers over him in normal position. There was no suicide note, we're told, and no pill bottles or drug paraphernalia. Nevertheless, the operating theory is that this was some form of overdose. As one source tells TMZ, "19-year-olds just don't go to sleep and not wake up."

Eric Sr. found out about his son's death 2 hours after making his exit deal with FNC.

We're told the coroner is conducting toxicology and other tests to determine cause of death.

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2017/09/11/eric-chase-bolling-jr-died-dead-bed-overdose-cause-of-death/

Former Fox News host Eric Bolling’s son’s autopsy completed but cause of death still mystery | New York Daily News

Ex-Fox News host Eric Bolling’s son’s autopsy has been completed, but the coroner’s office in Boulder, Colo., won’t reveal the cause of death for another six to eight weeks.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/eric-bolling-son-autopsy-completed-article-1.3488021

Sure it's embarrassing to have your dad in the news for sending dick pics to women. But it's not *that* embarrassing.

Please avoid analyzing situations on the basis of hearsay. And I doubt you are in a position to give a expert opinion on this.

All I said was that I don't understand wtf is going on, bb. I didn't mean to imply anything about your father and his dick pictures. If you thought that's what I said, I apologize.

O’Reilly Settled New Harassment Claim, Then Fox Renewed His Contract | The New York Times

Quote:

Last January, six months after Fox News ousted its chairman amid a sexual harassment scandal, the network’s top-rated host at the time, Bill O’Reilly, struck a $32 million agreement with a longtime network analyst to settle new sexual harassment allegations, according to two people briefed on the matter — an extraordinarily large amount for such cases.

Although the deal has not been previously made public, the network’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, acknowledges that it was aware of the woman’s complaints about Mr. O’Reilly. They included allegations of repeated harassment, a nonconsensual sexual relationship and the sending of gay pornography and other sexually explicit material to her, according to the people briefed on the matter.

It was at least the sixth agreement — and by far the largest — made by either Mr. O’Reilly or the company to settle harassment allegations against him. Despite that record, 21st Century Fox began contract negotiations with Mr. O’Reilly, and in February granted him a four-year extension that paid $25 million a year.

Interviews with people familiar with the settlement, and documents obtained by The New York Times, show how the company tried and ultimately failed to contain the second wave of a sexual harassment crisis that initially burst into public view the previous summer and cost the Fox News chairman, Roger Ailes, and eventually Mr. O’Reilly, their jobs.

In January, the reporting shows, Rupert Murdoch and his sons, Lachlan and James, the top executives at 21st Century Fox, made a business calculation to stand by Mr. O’Reilly despite his most recent, and potentially most explosive, harassment dispute.

Their decision came as the company was trying to convince its employees, its board and the public that it had cleaned up the network’s workplace culture. At the same time, they were determined to hold on to Mr. O’Reilly, whose value to the network increased after the departure of another prominent host, Megyn Kelly.

But by April, the Murdochs decided to jettison Mr. O’Reilly as some of the settlements became public and posed a significant threat to their business empire.

Continued at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/21/business/media/bill-oreilly-sexual-harassment.html

The New York Times sacks Bill O’Reilly. Again. | The Washington Post

Excerpt:

...O’Reilly, for the second time this year, stands face to face with the very real reporting standards of the New York Times. And all he can do is whine.

Perhaps O’Reilly should consider a new strategy of simply shutting up. There is a reason, after all, why this latest revelation is coming out in October 2017, months after his firing. What could have prompted sources to assist the New York Times? This blog has one guess, and it circles back to O’Reilly’s September appearance on the “Today” show. In addition to articulating a specious argument about his network’s “business” priorities, O’Reilly painted himself as a good man under siege.

“Nobody’s a perfect person, but I can go to sleep at night very well, knowing that I never mistreated anyone on my watch in 42 years,” said O’Reilly, who continued denying wrongdoing, HR complaints, lewd messages and the whole thing. “In 42 years, I’ve been in this business. I’ve worked for 12 companies. Not one time did I have any interaction with HR or any complaints filed against me.” He also said, “My conscience is clear.”

More at https://www.washingtonpost.com/blog.../the-new-york-times-sacks-bill-oreilly-again/

Fox News, Where Sexual Harassment Gets You A Contract Extension | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert



Bill O'Reilly reached a $32 million settlement with a woman alleging him of sexual harassment. Fox News swiftly disciplined him with the harsh punishment of more money.

Rather than starting a thread about Harvey Weinstein, I'll add the article below to this thread since it's somewhat related. This is a small excerpt from a very detailed article.

Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies

The film executive hired private investigators, including ex-Mossad agents, to track actresses and journalists.

By Ronan Farrow, The New Yorker

Quote:

In the fall of 2016, Harvey Weinstein set out to suppress allegations that he had sexually harassed or assaulted numerous women. He began to hire private security agencies to collect information on the women and the journalists trying to expose the allegations. According to dozens of pages of documents, and seven people directly involved in the effort, the firms that Weinstein hired included Kroll, which is one of the world’s largest corporate-intelligence companies, and Black Cube, an enterprise run largely by former officers of Mossad and other Israeli intelligence agencies. Black Cube, which has branches in Tel Aviv, London, and Paris, offers its clients the skills of operatives “highly experienced and trained in Israel’s elite military and governmental intelligence units,” according to its literature.

Two private investigators from Black Cube, using false identities, met with the actress Rose McGowan, who eventually publicly accused Weinstein of rape, to extract information from her. One of the investigators pretended to be a women’s-rights advocate and secretly recorded at least four meetings with McGowan. The same operative, using a different false identity and implying that she had an allegation against Weinstein, met twice with a journalist to find out which women were talking to the press. In other cases, journalists directed by Weinstein or the private investigators interviewed women and reported back the details.

The explicit goal of the investigations, laid out in one contract with Black Cube, signed in July, was to stop the publication of the abuse allegations against Weinstein that eventually emerged in the New York Times and The New Yorker. Over the course of a year, Weinstein had the agencies “target,” or collect information on, dozens of individuals, and compile psychological profiles that sometimes focussed on their personal or sexual histories. Weinstein monitored the progress of the investigations personally. He also enlisted former employees from his film enterprises to join in the effort, collecting names and placing calls that, according to some sources who received them, felt intimidating.

In some cases, the investigative effort was run through Weinstein’s lawyers, including David Boies, a celebrated attorney who represented Al Gore in the 2000 Presidential-election dispute and argued for marriage equality before the U.S. Supreme Court. Boies personally signed the contract directing Black Cube to attempt to uncover information that would stop the publication of a Times story about Weinstein’s abuses, while his firm was also representing the Times, including in a libel case.

Boies confirmed that his firm contracted with and paid two of the agencies and that investigators from one of them sent him reports, which were then passed on to Weinstein. He said that he did not select the firms or direct the investigators’ work. He also denied that the work regarding the Times story represented a conflict of interest. Boies said that his firm’s involvement with the investigators was a mistake. “We should not have been contracting with and paying investigators that we did not select and direct,” he told me. “At the time, it seemed a reasonable accommodation for a client, but it was not thought through, and that was my mistake. It was a mistake at the time.”

Techniques like the ones used by the agencies on Weinstein’s behalf are almost always kept secret, and, because such relationships are often run through law firms, the investigations are theoretically protected by attorney-client privilege, which could prevent them from being disclosed in court. The documents and sources reveal the tools and tactics available to powerful individuals to suppress negative stories and, in some cases, forestall criminal investigations.

Continued at https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/harvey-weinsteins-army-of-spies

21st Century Fox in $90 million settlement tied to sexual harassment scandal | Reuters

Quote:

Twenty-First Century Fox Inc has reached a $90 million settlement of shareholder claims arising from the sexual harassment scandal at its Fox News Channel, which cost the jobs of longtime news chief Roger Ailes and anchor Bill O‘Reilly.

The settlement, which requires a judge’s approval, resolves what are known as “derivative” claims against Fox officers and directors, including: Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan, who are Fox’s executive chairmen; James Murdoch, another son and its chief executive, and Ailes’ estate.

The defendants did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement filed with the Delaware Chancery Court.
Monday’s settlement calls for insurers of Fox officers, Fox directors and Ailes’ estate to pay the $90 million to the New York-based company for the benefit of shareholders.

Continued at https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ed-to-sexual-harassment-scandal-idUSKBN1DK2NI

Harvey Weinstein scandal: New claim alleges sex trafficking

By Erin Jensen, USA TODAY

Excerpt:

British actress Kadian Noble filed a civil suit on Monday in New York alleging that Harvey Weinstein forced her into sexual acts while abroad in 2014. Even more damning: The suit, obtained by USA TODAY, claims The Weinstein Company violated federal sex trafficking law "by benefiting from, and knowingly facilitating" Weinstein's foreign business travels in which he would "recruit or entice female actors into forced or coerced sexual encounters on the promise of roles in films or entertainment projects."

Noble says she was summoned to the producer's hotel room at Cannes Film Festival in 2014 to talk about a role. He began massaging her shoulders and told her to "relax." According to the complaint, Weinstein called an unnamed Weinstein Company producer, who told the actress that she needed to be “a good girl and do whatever (Weinstein) wished,” and if she did, “they would work” with her further. Weinstein then began groping her, pulled her into a bathroom, and forced her to fondle him.

The suit says Bob Weinstein and The Weinstein Company "knowingly participated in Weinstein's" trips to foreign countries for such purposes.

“I filed under the Federal sex trafficking law because I believe the facts as alleged in the complaint fit squarely within the statute," Jeff Herman, Noble’s lawyer, told USA TODAY in a statement. "The benefit of filing under this Federal law is that it allows us to bring a claim in the United States for an assault that occurred overseas and it has a 10 year statute of limitations.”

Noble and her lawyer will hold a news conference in New York on Tuesday.

More at https://www.usatoday.com/story/life...ivil-claim-uk-lodged-accusers-news/896904001/

Ex-Fox contributor: Fox News will sue me for speaking out today | CNN



Former Fox News contributor Tamara Holder says the abusive behavior at the network and alleged silencing by 21st Century Fox Chairman Rupert Murdoch ruined her life.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/...ra-holder-full-reliable-sources-interview.cnn

https://twitter.com/tamaraholder

https://www.google.com/search?q=Tamara Holder

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...efore-he-ran-fox-news/?utm_term=.1dc27091a829
"The FBI kept tabs on Roger Ailes for nearly three decades. Here’s what it found."