2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Oliver Willis)
A producer for Fox News’ “Hannity” has been forced out following reports of an internal sexual harassment investigation. CNN reported that Fox has confirmed Robert Samuel, who worked at the conservative network for nearly 20 years, was let go. “Employees who violate FOX News Media's Anti-Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation policy are subject to appropriate remedial action, up to and including immediate termination,” a network spokesperson told CNN.
Fox News, which plays an enormously influential role in conservative politics and the Republican Party, has a long history of sexual harassment and hostility to women. Roger Ailes, the former Richard Nixon operative who created the network under owner Rupert Murdoch, sexually harassed multiple women over many years. Following a 2016 lawsuit from former anchor Gretchen Carlson, at least 20 women came forward with stories of unwanted sexual advances from Ailes.
“Toxicity starts at the top and it dwindles down, and I would know something about this, having worked for Roger Ailes at Fox News,” Carlson said in a Sept. 18 appearance on CNN. Ailes, who died in 2017, was forced out of the network after the allegations became public—but not years before, when Fox executives first became aware of his conduct.
The network also kept harassment allegations against former Fox News star Bill O’Reilly under wraps for years and spent millions in payouts so that women alleging abuse from the host of “The O’Reilly Factor” would not file lawsuits Steve Doocy, the longtime co-host of “Fox & Friends,” was also accused of harassment in Carlson’s suit. He is still hosting the show. Eric Bolling, who co-hosted “The Five,” left the network in 2017 amid allegations that he sent unsolicited lewd photos to co-workers, which he has denied.
Fox News also paid out a $4 million settlement in 2020 to the former assistant of Kimberly Guilfoyle, who also was a co-host on “The Five.” “[Guilfoyle] apparently subjected her to deeply unprofessional things - forcing her to see her naked, forcing her to see pornographic material, forcing her to see pictures of the male anatomy of various men that she knew,” NPR’s David Folkenflik reported. Guilfoyle, who has been dating Donald Trump Jr.
and spoke at the 2020 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, denied the allegations. The most well-known person with a history of sexual abuse and harassment who is affiliated with Fox News is Donald Trump. At least 18 women have accused Trump of groping them, making lewd comments, and sexually assaulting them and in 2023, a jury found Trump liable for the sexual abuse of advice columnist E.
Jean Caroll and awarded her $5 million. Before becoming a Republican presidential candidate in 2015, Trump appeared on “Fox & Friends” in a regular slot to provide commentary on politics and promote the racist “birther” conspiracy theory against then-President Barack Obama. He still calls into various shows, including “Fox & Friends,” to give rambling diatribes .
Fox News’ toxic actions against women are not confined to behind-the-scenes interactions. The network has frequently produced and aired openly sexist and misogynistic content from a wide array of hosts and correspondents during its 28-year history Recently, while criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, Fox host Jesse Watters said , “We don’t know who she is. We don’t know what she believes.
She’s going to get paralyzed in the Situation Room while the generals have their way with her.” Campaign Action.
