Just more than a year later, former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros’ lawsuit against the network, in which she alleged she had been the victim of “illegal electronic surveillance and computer hacking,” was dismissed Friday.
Tantaros alleged in her suit that the network had surveilled and harassed her in retaliation for her claims that she was sexually harassed by former network chair Roger Ailes and others. A separate suit covering Tantaros’ harassment claims was sent to private arbitration last year.
In the suit dismissed Friday, Tantaros had alleged that Fox News — she specifically named the network; Ailes; former Co-President Bill Shine; Fox and Fox Business corporate communications head Irena Briganti; and tech investor Pete Snyder and his company, Disrupter, Inc. — gained unauthorized access to her email and social media profiles in order to harass her.
Tantaros also alleged Snyder was employed to target her with a swarm of aggressive social media accounts in order to harass and discredit her. Tantaros alleged the accounts were “sock puppets,” operated by the defendants.
“Plaintiff’s amended complaint is based primarily on speculation and conjecture,” Judge George B. Daniels of the Southern District of New York wrote (read his full decision below). “Moreover, she fails to adequately make out the basic elements of her claims.”
