Fox News’ Howard Kurtz delivered what was guaranteed to be a very awkward report late Tuesday about the sexual harassment allegations against the network’s CEO, Roger Ailes, and network executives’ reported efforts to oust him.
Fox host Bret Baier tossed the segment to Kurtz right before the start of the 7 p.m. hour. Several media outlets had reported that Ailes had been ousted, but spokespersons for 21st Century Fox, Fox’s parent company, shot down those rumors.
“So let’s try to clear up what we can,” Kurtz said. “21st Century Fox, the parent company of this network, says in a statement that Ailes remains on the job in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit, with allegations vehemently denied by Ailes filed by Gretchen Carlson after her contract as a daytime Fox anchor was not renewed.”
Production apparently wasn’t moving Kurtz’s script as fast as he would’ve liked, however.
“Can move that prompter a little faster please,” he said, continuing: “The company has launched an internal review of the matter.”
Kurtz went on to report that, according to New York Magazine’s sources, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly had told lawyers investigating the sexual harassment allegations that Ailes sexually harassed her years ago when she was working in the network’s Washington bureau.
“Kelly has not addressed the matter publicly at all,” Kurtz said. “Ailes’ lawyer Susan Estrich responded with this statement and I will quote: “Roger Ailes has never sexually harassed Megyn Kelly. In fact, he has spent much of the last decade promoting and helping her to achieve the stardom she earned, for which she has repeatedly and publicly thanked him. And that is where things stand for now Bret in this developing story.”
Watch below:
h/t: BuzzFeed News
