Fox Business Network’s Charles Payne was suspended Thursday while the network’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, investigates sexual harassment allegations against him, the network confirmed Friday.
The Los Angeles Times first reported the news Thursday. That paper and others reported a statement from an unnamed spokesperson from Fox Business Network: “We take issues of this nature extremely seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy for any professional misconduct,” the spokesperson said. “This matter is being thoroughly investigated and we are taking all of the appropriate steps to reach a resolution in a timely manner.”
Payne seemed to refer to the allegations on his Twitter account Friday morning, denying them “to my core” and saying a reporter who had contacted him about the story had not printed his denial.
Days ago a reporter contacted me about (false) allegations and asked for a comment. I gave an immediate reply. He reported story w/out them
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) July 7, 2017
This was my reply: “That is an ugly lie I vehemently deny to my core. There is a mountain of proof that also proves its a lie.”
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) July 7, 2017
I will fight this like a lion armed with truth. Thanks so much to all those that have reached out in support.#FightingBack
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) July 7, 2017
Not surprising media outlets that hate President Trump most put out most twisted stories on me – how do you misquote a written statement?
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) July 7, 2017
The Los Angles Times reported that Payne’s suspension followed his admission to the National Enquirer that he had a three-year “romantic relationship” with a political analyst who appeared as a guest on Fox Business.
The Times reported that the political analyst told Fox’s law firm that she believed she had been blacklisted from the network in 2015 after reporting Payne to network executives, two unnamed sources familiar with the complaint told the paper.
Payne’s attorney told the Times he “categorically denies” sexually harassing the analyst.
Allegations of sexual harassment have roiled Fox for years, resulting in recent months in the resignation of top leadership including late CEO Roger Ailes and co-president Bill Shine, the firing of star host Bill O’Reilly, and on Monday, the abrupt firing of Jamie Horowitz, the head of sports programming for Fox Sports.
This post has been updated.
