NYT: Investigators Probing If Fox News Execs Enabled Ailes’ Alleged Harassment

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The independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by former Fox News boss Roger Ailes is reportedly also focused on whether network executives knew of the alleged abuse and failed to intervene, according to a Wednesday report from the New York Times.

The ongoing investigation by the New York law firm Paul, Weiss, which CNN reported late last month was “winding down,” has not broadened into a review of the culture of Fox News, anonymous sources briefed on the probe told the Times. But investigators were reportedly pursuing information provided in interviews that others at the network enabled Ailes’ alleged misconduct.

Nearly 20 women reported harassment by Ailes as of last week, and more current and former Fox News staffers were scheduled to be interviewed by investigators, the Times reported.

The inquiry was opened July 6, after fired Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes alleging that Ailes engaged in years of harassment and retaliation before refusing to renew her contract.

Most recently, former Fox News booker Laurie Luhn detailed to New York Magazine the deterioration of her mental health following years of alleged “psychological torture” stemming from her relationship with Ailes.

Ailes resigned as CEO of Fox News, the network he founded, amid mounting allegations on July 21. He has strenuously denied Carlson’s charges of sexual harassment through his lawyers.

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Notable Replies

  1. The Murdochs are experts at building the black files, ready to use in the future against both friends and enemies.

  2. Bill O’Reilly: This is all liberal BS. Ailes never hit on me in decades I worked with him. At times, I wanted him to but he would never take the hint.

  3. Between the spiraling collapse of Drumpf and Fux News, the only thing missing would be the collapse of the NRA.

    Trifecta time, baby…

  4. I wish it was that simple. Even if Faux were to take some mild hit, another one will pop up to replace it. The problem is and will continue to be its supporters/viewers. They will only grow in numbers over time.

  5. When you’ve got a large number of substantial to large settlements of claims for sexual harassment by the CEO, all of which have confidentiality provisions and which your parent company is apparently not aware of, yeah, executives have enabled systemic and systematic violation of state and federal discrimination laws. I suspect the investigation is about “who,” not “whether.”

    I can’t help but also notice that Roger the Hutt’s lawyer, Fox News Democrat Susan Estrich, is also a frequent Fox News guest. How the hell she got that past her firm’s risk management committee is beyond me.

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