Justice, Sexual Harassment

Gretchen Carlson Settles With Fox -- And We Are All Denied The Discovery We So Richly Deserve

There's turmoil over there at Fox, and I want to her about it in court -- the real "no-spin zone."

By  
on

Gretchen CarlsonGoddamn it. Life is so freaking unfair. Gretchen Carlson, former Fox News talking head, was set to blow the lid off the entire operation. Already, her sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox and Roger Ailes might have been the cause in fact for Ailes’s departure from the news organization. Her complaint against Ailes alone was tabloid fodder and a sneak peak behind the curtain of the most powerful news network in the country. What wonders might we learn should Carlson and her attorneys conduct discovery into Fox’s practices for treating women?

But it won’t happen. Fox would never let it happen. Carlson and Fox have settled. From the New York Times:

A 21st Century Fox Corporation news release did not specify a settlement amount, but a person briefed on the settlement said that it amounted to $20 million, and that Mr. Ailes was responsible for a portion of the payment. The person also said Fox News was in settlement talks with other women at the network….

In its statement, the company apologized for the behavior, saying, “We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve.”

At the same time the settlement was announced, Fox also announced that it was parting ways with Greta Van Susteren. Reports indicated that the departure was over financial disputes. Van Susteren had a “key man” clause in her contract that was triggered when Ailes left.

There’s turmoil over there at Fox, and I, for one, am interested by it. But I don’t want to read about it in some unverified “tell-all” book promoted by former employees looking to cash in. I want to hear about it in court — the real “no-spin zone.” I want these people to be deposed… for my amusement.

But they’ll probably all settle it out. Throwing $20 million dollars at a person is not an admission of guilt. But it is an indication that you don’t want anybody else to know what’s really going on.

Fox Settles With Gretchen Carlson Over Roger Ailes Sex Harassment Claims [New York Times]

Sponsored

Earlier: Fox Host Claims Sexual Harassment At Fox To The Surprise Of Probably No One

Elie Mystal is an editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at elie@abovethelaw.com. Dear Lord please let there never be discovery on what I’ve said about my colleagues over gchat.

Sponsored

Topics

, , , , , , , ,