On another occasion, Eckhart alleged, Henry violently raped her while she was handcuffed, only after he took nude photos of her without her consent. Henry's lawsuit also accuses Scott of "whitewashing" sexual misconduct by network employees, including an alleged affair between a company subordinate and Fox News President Jay Wallace, who co-signed the statement regarding Henry's termination with Scott. Ms. Areu and Jennifer Eckhart can pursue their claims against Ed Henry directly with him, as FOX News already took swift action as soon as it learned of Ms. Eckharts claims on June 25 and Mr. Henry is no longer employed by the network., In response, Willemin wrote in a statement, It is outrageous and contrary to common sense that Fox News purports not to take responsibility for his actions. Prominent Fox News commentators Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Howard Kurtz are also named as defendants in the suit and are accused of sexual misconduct. The network denied knowing of sexual misconduct by Henry before this year. Thelawsuit seeks punitive damages and statesthe network's CEO Scott "sandbagged" him with a July 1, 2020, statement saying a former employee had accused Henry of sexual misconduct a week earlier and he was being fired after the findings of an externalinvestigation. Earlier, in September 2015, the lawsuit says, Eckhart says Henry forced her to perform oral sex in a guest office on the 17th floor of the Fox News building. The lawsuit was filed by Jennifer Eckhart and Cathy Areu, the first a former associate producer on Fox Business, and the other a former frequent guest as a news analyst onFox shows. These defamation claims come a day after Henry filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey, against Fox News and its CEO. "Mr. Kurtz was punishing Ms. Areu for refusing to join him at hishotel. The Wednesday lawsuit by Henrysays Scott'sstatement lent"credence tothe false allegations because she was trying to save her own career andburnish her image as a tough, no nonsense female executive who cleaned up Fox News. "Ms. Eckhart did not consent to any part of this violent, painful rape," the lawsuit says. Some of the names in leadership may have changed since Roger Ailes regime, but Fox News institutional apathy towards sexual misconduct has not., According to the complaint, Eckhart alleged that Henry, who is married, groomed, psychologically manipulated and coerced her into a sexual relationship in which he referred to her as his sex slave. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed, when she would not comply voluntarily, [Henry] sexually assaulted her on office property, and raped her at a hotel where Fox News frequently lodged its visiting employees., The relationship began in 2014, according to the lawsuit, after Henry, who is two decades older than Eckhart, messaged her on Twitter telling her that he thought she was beautiful. From there, the lawsuit claimed, Ms. Areu accuses Henry ofsexual harassment, specifically by sending her "a slew of wildly inappropriate sexualimages and messages which are in her possession" through the first half of 2020. The MNA stated that although they don't represent the employees at Henry Ford Hospital, they support the vaccine and oppose hospitals enforcing "one-sided policies. As we stated one year ago, FoxNews Media conducted a thorough independent investigation into Ed Henry immediately after we were made aware of a serious misconduct claim against him by a former employee," the statement read. The lawsuit asserts Fox executives knew that Henry had been accused of sexual misconduct long before June 25. Eckhart was the anonymous accuserwhose allegations against Henry led to his firing on July 1, according to the lawsuit. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Areu said she was also propositioned by Gianno Caldwell, a Fox contributor. Areu politely declined but invited Mr. Kurtz to dinner with her and a friend who was in town. It is widely documented in the public record that Fox News has not only cultivated and fostered sexual harassment and misconduct, but has consistently accepted and rewarded it. When Areu "sidestepped Mr. Carlson's advances and declined to spend the night at his hotel," the host "promptly retaliated against Ms. Areu, who was featured on his show only three times in 2019 and has not appeared once in 2020.". ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL) The father of an Emory & Henry College student killed in a 2020 car crash filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the college on May 16. UPDATED with dismissal: Ex-Fox News host Ed Henry s defamation lawsuit against NPR and CNN has been voluntarily dismissed. 1/3. Later that day, he ordered her to perform oral sex on him in a guest office at Fox News headquarters in New York. Henry Hodges, who was sentenced to death for the 1990 killing of a telephone repairman, filed a lawsuit last October accusing the state of providing The company has "worked tirelessly" under Scott'sleadership "to transform the company culture, implementing annual, mandatory in-person harassment prevention training, creating an entirely new reporting structure, more than tripling the size of our HR footprint, conducting quarterly company meetings and mentoring events, as well as executing a zero tolerance policy regarding workplace misconduct for which we engage outside independent firms to handle investigations," the statement said. The culture under Ailes was subsequently given the Hollywood treatment:"Bombshell," which earned Charlize Theron an Oscar nomination for playing Megyn Kelly this year,is based on the 2016 real-life sexual misconduct allegations against Ailes. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Michigan health care workers have recently filed a lawsuit with their employer, stating that the COVID-19 vaccine is an infringement upon their human rights. Regarding Henry is the story of a New York lawyer, played by Harrison Ford, who suffers brain damage and amnesia after being shot in the head during a robbery. My decision to speak out was not an easy one, but I refuse to let fear of retaliation, victim shaming and further attacks intimidate me into remaining silent. "Beyond that, we cannot comment on pending litigation.". "The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship. "We are fully prepared to vigorously defend against these baseless allegations as Mr. Henry further embarrasses himself in a lawsuit rife with inaccuracies after driving his personal life into the ground with countless extramarital affairs in a desperate attempt for relevance and redemption.. "Wetake all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation seriously, promptly investigating them and taking immediate action as needed in this case, the appropriate action based on our investigation is to defend vigorously against these baseless allegations. That evidence includes graphic photos and other aggressively suggestive communications that Ms. Eckhart sent to Mr. Henry.. There were not sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at FOX News prior to Jennifer Eckharts claim on June 25, 2020, the spokesperson said. The complaint filed on Monday graphically presents multiple allegations of sexual abuse suffered by Jennifer Eckhart, a former associate producer at Fox Business, who said that Henry suggested he could help advance her career in exchange for sex. Moreover, the investigator did not even speak with either of our clients, even though both Ms. Eckhart and Ms. Areu offered to meet with him under reasonable conditions. This story was updated on July 22 to include a later statement on Monday from Fox News. The suit also alleges Henry sent other inappropriate texts, including messages suggesting Areu have sex with him. Nothing could be further from the truth.. Carlson is already in hot water after his top writer resigned earlier this month when it was revealed he had for years posted bigoted content on online message boards under a pseudonym. USA TODAY has also reached out to CNN for comment. It had not.. Former Fox News anchor Ed Henry (from left) and high-profile hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity are all named in a lawsuit alleging different instances of sexual misconduct. Henry said some of the conversationrelied on the "false report" from Folkenflik and that Stelter "recklessly republished Mr. Folkenfliks allegation without confirming its authenticity. A lawsuit filed by two women in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Monday accuses former Fox News chief national correspondent Ed Among the most serious of the allegations, Eckhart says that in 2015, Henry forced her to perform oral sex on him at the Fox News building in New York. More than 50 Henry Ford Health System employees have sued in federal court, hoping to stop a Sept. 10 coronavirus vaccine mandate. Henry's lawsuit against Fox News came a day after the New York City Commission on Human Rights fined Fox News $1 million in a settlement stemming from a THE HILL 1625 K STREET, NW SUITE 900 WASHINGTON DC 20006 | 202-628-8500 TEL | 202-628-8503 FAX. A lawsuit filed in federal court against Fox News on Monday accused former host Ed Henry of rape and alleged that he retaliated against two women who rejected his advances. The complaint includes a number of graphic text messages that Henry allegedly sent Eckhart following the 2017 incident. A former Fox News reporter and associate producer, along with a frequent guest on the network, have leveled brutal and disturbing sexual-assault allegations against former host Ed Henry as well as harassment allegations against current on-air talent like hosts Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, and Howard Kurtz. The Me Too movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. In one video, titled Fastest Interview, someone purportedlyinterviewing for a position exposes her vagina and afterward the interviewer indicates that she got the job. Areu alleges that Hannity retaliated against her after an incident where he offered $100 for any male staffer who would go out on a date with her, with the lawsuit including a picture of the bill on Hannitys desk. Henrys attorney Catherine Foti denied the allegations against Henry. The Me Too movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard, Foti said. Fuck you and your safe word, he wrote in one message. The morning after, Kurtz refused to meet with her at the studio and shortly after told her youre the only woman who wont come to my hotel room, according to the lawsuit. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "The association's registered nurses strongly encourage everyone to choose to get vaccinated to protect their families and themselves.". Following his termination, Henry's attorney Catherine Foti said, "Ed Henry denies the allegations referenced in the Fox announcement and is confident that he will be vindicated after a full hearing in an appropriate forum.. Fox said there were no sexual harassment claims against Henry until they learned about Eckharts allegations last month. Fox has battled allegations of sexual misconduct in the past, including against network chief Ailes, who died in 2017. ", Fox News, in its statement, insisted that the network takes "all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation seriously, promptly investigating them and taking immediate action as needed in this case, the appropriate action based on our investigation is to defend vigorously against these baseless allegations.". Ms. Fox News, which in recent years has been hit by numerous accusations of sexual misconduct that forced out founder Roger Ailes and top host Bill O'Reilly, announced on July 1 that it had fired Henry after investigating an accusation of sexual misconduct against him by a former employee. Since coming on board as CEO in 2018, Suzanne Scott has worked to create a different atmosphere, an acknowledgement that the factors behind Ailes ouster had negative effects on employees. The suit alleges Caldwell, a Fox News political analyst based in Miami, texted a video of him with Ann Coulter and said Ann is my friend. The suit alleges Caldwell used that to attempt to coerce Areu into dating him. Fox announced on July 1 that it fired Henry after conducting an internal investigation into Henrys willful sexual misconduct. But Mondays complaint alleged that the network and higher-ups including Fox News president Jay Wallace and Fox Business Network President Lauren Petterson, were already aware of several years-old complaints against the former on-air host, and he continued to receive promotions anyhow. Henry was later added as a co-anchor on Fox & Friends Weekend. Hannity and Carlson represent two-thirds of Foxs lucrative prime-time lineup, while Kurtz hosts the weekend Media Buzz show. 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Ailes, who died in 2017, denied all charges made against him, including those of Gretchen Carlson, an anchor whose 2016 suit against him sparked a wholesale reckoning at Fox News and its parent company. Henry was not terminated because he engaged in sexual misconductFox News was willing to support and promote him knowing that he had engaged in sexual misconduct, read the lawsuit. Ed was suspended the same day and removed from his on-air responsibilities pending investigation. Henry Ford responded to the lawsuit by defending its vaccine requirement, saying in a statement shared with The Hill, We remain confident that vaccination is the The lawsuit on behalf of John and Joan Cox was filed this week in federal court in New York City. The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and damages. Mrs. Cox said she doubts he would have had enough life experiences at that age to write the story in such a short time. A lawsuit filed by two women in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Monday accuses former Fox News chief national correspondent Ed Henry of raping one of them while the other plaintiff alleges she was sexually harassed by network hosts Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Howard Kurtz. But it was the accusations made by Eckhart, a former employee, that led to the anchors dismissal. Areu awkwardly sidestepped the advances and declined to spend the night at Carlsons hotel. In Thursday's lawsuit, Henry pointed to a tweet from Folkenflik,which reported that in 2017, Fox executives were warned about a history of misconduct from Henry, which the former White House correspondent said was defamatory and framed him in a "false light.". The lawsuit names as defendants Paramount Pictures, director and co- producer Mike Nichols, screenplay author Jeffrey Abrams and others. According to the complaint, Henry also sent numerous texts suggesting that she have sex with him. That evidence includes graphic photos and other aggressively suggestive communications that Ms. Eckhart sent to Mr. Henry.. As NPR's David Folkenflik reported earlier this month, Henry was promoted despite one of his colleagues having warned senior executives that reinstating him could damage Fox's efforts at reforming its workplace culture. Rather, Mr. Henrys employment was terminated because Fox News realized that it was on the precipice of a public relations nightmare and wanted to get out ahead of this suit and be able to claim that it had done the right thing. Former Fox News anchor Ed Henry (from left) and high-profile hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity are all named in a lawsuit alleging different instances of sexual misconduct. It also alleges that Carlson in December 2018 told Areu he would be alone in New York City that night in a hotel room without his wife or kids. Like him, I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (and 5 week coma) from a car accident, instead of a bullet! The "America's Newsroom" co-anchor was terminated after Fox News said it received a complaint on June 25 from a former employee's attorney regarding "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago.". We def need to get together., The complaint added: Mr. The lawsuit alleges Hannity threw $100 on the desk during a taping of his show on March 8, 2018, and called out to the room demanding someone take Areu on a date and for drinks. In acomplaintfiled Thursday in the U.S District Court in New York, Henry is seeking actual and punitive damages from NPR correspondentDavid Folkenflik and CNN correspondents Alisyn Camerota and Brian Stelterfor acting with"malice" by "intentionally or recklessly making false statements" about himwhile reporting on his Fox News departure. Ed Henry looks forward to presenting actual facts and evidence, which will contradict the fictional accounts contained in the complaint. You dont own me, Eckhart replied. White House rips appointment of extreme MAGA members to House Oversight Comer focuses on Penn Biden Center in investigation of classified documents, Here are the 10 states with the least healthy populations. The explosive allegations are contained in court papers filed Wednesday by Henrys attorney Brian M. Block of Mandelbaum Salzberg in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, where Scott lives. Fox News fined $1 million in New York City settlement of sexual harassment allegations, Bill Cosby released from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by Pa. Supreme Court, James Franco agrees to pay $2.2M to settle sexual misconduct lawsuit filed by former students, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She declined but invited him to dinner with her and a friend in town, which he declined. 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