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| Gretchen Carlson of Fox News Files Suit Against Roger Ailes, Alleging Harassment | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gretchen Carlson, the longtime Fox anchor, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday saying that Roger Ailes, the powerful chairman of Fox News, fired her from the network last month after she refused his sexual advances and complained to him about discriminatory treatment in the newsroom. | Gretchen Carlson, the longtime Fox anchor, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday saying that Roger Ailes, the powerful chairman of Fox News, fired her from the network last month after she refused his sexual advances and complained to him about discriminatory treatment in the newsroom. |
| The startling accusations immediately transfixed the world of television news, where Mr. Ailes is a hugely influential figure known for demanding absolute loyalty from his employees. | The startling accusations immediately transfixed the world of television news, where Mr. Ailes is a hugely influential figure known for demanding absolute loyalty from his employees. |
| The lawsuit — filed in Superior Court in New Jersey, where Mr. Ailes maintains a residence — portrays the Fox chairman as a loutish and serial sexual harasser, accusing him of ogling Ms. Carlson in his office, calling her “sexy” and making sexually charged comments about her physical appearance. | The lawsuit — filed in Superior Court in New Jersey, where Mr. Ailes maintains a residence — portrays the Fox chairman as a loutish and serial sexual harasser, accusing him of ogling Ms. Carlson in his office, calling her “sexy” and making sexually charged comments about her physical appearance. |
| Ms. Carlson, who joined Fox in 2005, contends that during a meeting last fall to discuss her concerns that she was not being treated fairly, Mr. Ailes told her: “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.” | Ms. Carlson, who joined Fox in 2005, contends that during a meeting last fall to discuss her concerns that she was not being treated fairly, Mr. Ailes told her: “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.” |
| When she rebuffed him, the lawsuit claims, Mr. Ailes retaliated by reducing Ms. Carlson’s salary, curtailing her on-air appearances and, to her surprise, declining to renew her contract last month. | When she rebuffed him, the lawsuit claims, Mr. Ailes retaliated by reducing Ms. Carlson’s salary, curtailing her on-air appearances and, to her surprise, declining to renew her contract last month. |
| In a statement issued Wednesday evening through Fox News, Mr. Ailes rebuffed Ms. Carlson’s accusations. “Gretchen Carlson’s allegations are false,’’ he said, calling it “a retaliatory suit for the network’s decision not to renew her contract.’’ | |
| “Ironically, FOX News provided her with more on-air opportunities over her 11 year tenure than any other employer in the industry, for which she thanked me in her recent book,’’ he wrote. “This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously.” | |
| Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, said in a statement: “We take these matters seriously. While we have full confidence in Mr. Ailes and Mr. Doocy, who have served the company brilliantly for over two decades, we have commenced an internal review of the matter.” | |
| The statement refers to Steve Doocy, Ms. Carlson’s co-host when she appeared on the “Fox & Friends” morning show. She does not name Mr. Doocy as a defendant in the suit, but accuses him of mocking her and treating her badly. | The statement refers to Steve Doocy, Ms. Carlson’s co-host when she appeared on the “Fox & Friends” morning show. She does not name Mr. Doocy as a defendant in the suit, but accuses him of mocking her and treating her badly. |
| The suit arrives at a complex moment for Mr. Ailes, a towering figure in television and Republican politics who has overseen virtually every aspect of Fox News Channel over the cable network’s hugely successful two-decade run. | The suit arrives at a complex moment for Mr. Ailes, a towering figure in television and Republican politics who has overseen virtually every aspect of Fox News Channel over the cable network’s hugely successful two-decade run. |
| While he retains the loyalty of his corporate boss, Rupert Murdoch, Mr. Ailes has sometimes clashed with Mr. Murdoch’s sons, James and Lachlan, who have ascended to the most senior leadership roles in Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox. And Fox News, despite high ratings and big profits, has been less of a dominant political force in this year’s presidential election, with the Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump, publicly clashing with the network and some of its anchors. | While he retains the loyalty of his corporate boss, Rupert Murdoch, Mr. Ailes has sometimes clashed with Mr. Murdoch’s sons, James and Lachlan, who have ascended to the most senior leadership roles in Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox. And Fox News, despite high ratings and big profits, has been less of a dominant political force in this year’s presidential election, with the Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump, publicly clashing with the network and some of its anchors. |
| Ms. Carlson’s suit, filed by the law firm Smith Mullinof Montclair, N.J., names Mr. Ailes as the sole defendant and seeks a variety of compensatory damages. Her lead attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, said in an interview that Ms. Carlson’s grievance was with Mr. Ailes personally, not the Fox network. | Ms. Carlson’s suit, filed by the law firm Smith Mullinof Montclair, N.J., names Mr. Ailes as the sole defendant and seeks a variety of compensatory damages. Her lead attorney, Nancy Erika Smith, said in an interview that Ms. Carlson’s grievance was with Mr. Ailes personally, not the Fox network. |
| Mr. Ailes is known as a fierce public-relations warrior who can be ruthless with enemies, and it is rare for him to be taken on so directly by a prominent person in his industry. Ms. Carlson can be self-deprecating on-air, but she is working with a formidable team: Ms. Smith once brought a sexual harassment suit against a former acting governor of New Jersey, and Ms. Carlson’s husband, Casey Close, is a powerful sports agent known for tenacious negotiating on behalf of clients like Derek Jeter. | Mr. Ailes is known as a fierce public-relations warrior who can be ruthless with enemies, and it is rare for him to be taken on so directly by a prominent person in his industry. Ms. Carlson can be self-deprecating on-air, but she is working with a formidable team: Ms. Smith once brought a sexual harassment suit against a former acting governor of New Jersey, and Ms. Carlson’s husband, Casey Close, is a powerful sports agent known for tenacious negotiating on behalf of clients like Derek Jeter. |
| Ms. Smith, the lawyer, said that other women who said they had similar experiences with Mr. Ailes had contacted her, although she declined to name them. A 2014 biography of Mr. Ailes, by the journalist Gabriel Sherman, “The Loudest Voice in the Room,’’ recounted an episode in 1980s, when Mr. Ailes was at NBC, involving a woman named Randi Harrison who said he offered her an extra $100 a week in salary in exchange for having sex with him “whenever I want.” (Fox News denied the claim at the time.) | Ms. Smith, the lawyer, said that other women who said they had similar experiences with Mr. Ailes had contacted her, although she declined to name them. A 2014 biography of Mr. Ailes, by the journalist Gabriel Sherman, “The Loudest Voice in the Room,’’ recounted an episode in 1980s, when Mr. Ailes was at NBC, involving a woman named Randi Harrison who said he offered her an extra $100 a week in salary in exchange for having sex with him “whenever I want.” (Fox News denied the claim at the time.) |
| The allegations by Ms. Carlson are sure to roil the ranks of Fox News, with Ms. Carlson describing a boys’ club environment that extends beyond Mr. Ailes. | The allegations by Ms. Carlson are sure to roil the ranks of Fox News, with Ms. Carlson describing a boys’ club environment that extends beyond Mr. Ailes. |
| In her suit, Ms. Carlson contends that, in 2009, she complained to the network about Mr. Doocy, saying he belittled her on the set, openly mocked her among colleagues and once tried to shush her during a live broadcast by pulling down her arm. | In her suit, Ms. Carlson contends that, in 2009, she complained to the network about Mr. Doocy, saying he belittled her on the set, openly mocked her among colleagues and once tried to shush her during a live broadcast by pulling down her arm. |
| Mr. Ailes, the lawsuit states, responded by calling Ms. Carlson a “man hater” and saying “she needed to learn to ‘get along with the boys.’” Ms. Carlson claims that because of her complaints, Mr. Ailes eventually reassigned her from “Fox & Friends,” in 2013, to a less prestigious slot in the afternoon. | Mr. Ailes, the lawsuit states, responded by calling Ms. Carlson a “man hater” and saying “she needed to learn to ‘get along with the boys.’” Ms. Carlson claims that because of her complaints, Mr. Ailes eventually reassigned her from “Fox & Friends,” in 2013, to a less prestigious slot in the afternoon. |
| Until last month, Ms. Carlson was still hosting that program, “The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson,” which airs at 2 p.m. on the network. The show consistently won its time slot, averaging 1.1 million viewers in recent months. | Until last month, Ms. Carlson was still hosting that program, “The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson,” which airs at 2 p.m. on the network. The show consistently won its time slot, averaging 1.1 million viewers in recent months. |
| Over the years, Mr. Ailes has established Fox News as a powerful force in Republican politics and a major profit center for Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. He has minted stars like Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly, who now host the two top-rated shows in cable news. Buoyed by the enormous interest in this year’s election, Fox News is having its highest rated year in terms of total viewership and primetime audiences. | Over the years, Mr. Ailes has established Fox News as a powerful force in Republican politics and a major profit center for Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. He has minted stars like Bill O’Reilly and Megyn Kelly, who now host the two top-rated shows in cable news. Buoyed by the enormous interest in this year’s election, Fox News is having its highest rated year in terms of total viewership and primetime audiences. |
| Still, the network is facing renewed competition from CNN, which has been closing what was long an enormous gap in ratings between the networks. And Mr. Trump has at times seemed to take glee in challenging the network’s authority, something unheard of for a Republican nominee in previous election cycles. | Still, the network is facing renewed competition from CNN, which has been closing what was long an enormous gap in ratings between the networks. And Mr. Trump has at times seemed to take glee in challenging the network’s authority, something unheard of for a Republican nominee in previous election cycles. |
| Ms. Carlson’s announcement of her lawsuit on Wednesday was carefully coordinated. A public-relations firm distributed copies of the complaint to reporters across a variety of disciplines. Shortly afterward, on Twitter, Ms. Carlson offered thanks for an “outpouring of support” and introduced a hashtag: #StandWithGretchen. By the afternoon, a link to her lawsuit was prominently posted on her personal website. | Ms. Carlson’s announcement of her lawsuit on Wednesday was carefully coordinated. A public-relations firm distributed copies of the complaint to reporters across a variety of disciplines. Shortly afterward, on Twitter, Ms. Carlson offered thanks for an “outpouring of support” and introduced a hashtag: #StandWithGretchen. By the afternoon, a link to her lawsuit was prominently posted on her personal website. |