Summary: Fox News responds to former network host Andrea Tantaros’ sexual harassment lawsuit.
Former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros sued the network for sexual harassment, but now the conservative news outlet is fighting back and they have some harsh words.
On Monday, Fox News filed papers that said Tantaros was a “opportunist” and a “wannabe.” The ousted TV host claimed former Fox News CEO and president Roger Ailes and other men had sexually harassed her, and Fox News said that her allegations were “baseless,” according to Buzzfeed.
“Tantaros is not a victim; she is an opportunist,” Fox News’ filing stated.
Fox News has requested that Tantaros’ lawsuit be moved to arbitration and not court.
Tantaros had not been on Fox News since April, and Fox News’ lawyers said that she had never complained about sexual harassment from Roger Ailes while she was employed. Ailes had been recently terminated by Rupert Murdoch and family after Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment complaint after she had been let go from Fox and Friends.
Tantaros had published a book called Tied Up in Knots, and Fox News’ lawyers said she was fired in April because the book was not authorized by her higher ups. Tantaros said that it was not the book that caused her termination. Instead, she claims that her complaint about sexual harassment caused her to be let go. She stated on Monday that she would be willing to undergo a lie detector test if the defendants would also.
Attorney Judd Burstein, who represents Tantaros, said that Fox News’ request for arbitration makes it appear that they “want this dispute to be resolved in the shadows.”
Ailes responded to Tantaros lawsuit by stating that it was opportunistic and false.
“To be clear, Mr. Ailes categorically denies her false and libelous allegations of harassment and retaliation, and views this case as a desperate attempt to sell books and speeches and otherwise raise money,” Ailes’ lawyers stated in their filing.
Do you think Roger Ailes and other Fox News executives harassed Tantaros? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Buzzfeed
Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post