Henry Ford Chief Operating Officer Robert G. Riney spoke with The Detroit News in June regarding Henry Ford hospital's decision to mandate the vaccine. However, he returned to Fox News later that year, taking a position as chief national correspondent. ", Along with Riney's comments, the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) issued a statement to The Detroit News regarding the September 10 deadline. Henry's lawyer, Catherine Foti, has characterized the allegations against her client as "fictional. Ultimately, we are confident that a jury will hold Fox News responsible for the acts of its employees, as well as its own conduct in responding to these allegations., The attorney for Areu and Eckhart continued: Fox News claimsas it almost always doesthat an independent investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing. Caldwell then made clear that the price to meet Ms. Coulter would be a date with Mr. Caldwell. 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, a Fox spokesperson replied in a statement. DeSantis To Run In 2024Its The Latest Sign Trump Is Losing Battleground States, Twitters Money Problems Deepen: Revenues Reportedly Plummet As Major Advertisers Jump Ship After Musks Takeover, Nursing Homes Face Federal Audit For Alleged Overuse Of Antipsychotic Drugs, George Santos Accused Of Pocketing Money Raised To Save Disabled Veterans Dying Service Dog. A federal lawsuit filed Monday alleges ex-Fox News host Ed Henry raped a woman he had groomed and coerced into having a sexual relationship when she did In a series of messages, Henry states Whatever When u r owned U dont get a Choice, to which Eckhart responded You dont own me., The lawsuit also accused Fox Newss announcement of Henrys firing of being completely disingenuous and of downplaying the severity of the allegations by characterizing Henrys actions as merely sexual misconduct. . There were not sexual harassment claims against Ed Henry at Fox News prior to Jennifer Eckharts claim on June 25, 2020, the network added in its statement. 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. 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. One former Fox News staffer and one frequent on-air guest at Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. In an interview with Vogue magazine, Abrams claimed he wrote the script in two weeks when he was 23. She accuses Hannity (she was a relative regular on his show until March 8, 2018) of humiliating her on set by throwing $100 on the desk and calling out to men in the room to take her on a date for drinks at a bar. Kurtz allegedly invited Areu to his hotel room on July 9, 2019, while he was in New York City. ", 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.". The results of any such investigation should be made public for the world to see., And Fox News said, in response: The investigators immediately requested in writing the opportunity to speak directly with each plaintiff with their attorneys present, and for the plaintiffs to provide them with any evidence (i.e., texts or emails) supporting their claims. The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship.". Two women filed a lawsuit against Fox News that named network stars Hannity, Carlson and Ed Henry. The morning after Ms. Areu rejected Mr. Kurtzs advances, it continued, he refused to meet with her at the studio and curtly said to her, Im booked solid this morning which is why I hoped to connect last night. Mr. Kurtz was punishing Ms. Areu for refusing to join him at his hotel. We take 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.. EVANSVILLE, Ind. In other words, a significant part of this investigators time is spent defending companies like Fox News against allegations such as the ones brought herein. Nevertheless, Fox News would have the public believe that it is a different place from the Fox News that was run by former disgraced Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. Ed Henry looks forward to presenting actual facts and evidence, which will contradict the fictional accounts contained in the complaint. "But we have lived this fight long enough to know that the new variants are real and worrisome," Riney added. Areu said she was also propositioned by Gianno Caldwell, a Fox contributor. 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. This is not one of those cases. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. The two lawyers also represent numerous accusers of convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein who have sued him in civil court for damages. Foxconducted a full and independent investigation of the claims against Jay Wallace he was cleared of any wrongdoing and the allegations are false.. The other plaintiff, Cathy Areu, who was a regular guest on several Fox News programs, accuses Henry of sending her a slew of wildly inappropriate sexual images and messages, and accuses hosts Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz and contributor Gianno Caldwell of sexual harassment. Fox News is facing more allegations ofsexual misconduct as two women filed a lawsuit Monday in which former anchor Ed Henryis accused of rapeand network executives are accused of knowing of his alleged behavior and ignoring it long before he was firedthis month. 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. We take 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. 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.". 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. 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. According to the lawsuit, Henry laughed as he took the photographs, and Eckhart pleaded with Mr. Henry to stop, and to remove the handcuffs, and to delete the naked pictures he took of her without her consent. The photographs, the lawsuit suggested, were an intimidation tactic to keep Eckhart silent. He repeatedly yelled who wants to take her on a date? Take her on a date to Del Friscos. Ms. Areu was completely mortified and made clear that she was incredibly uncomfortable with Mr. Hannitys misogynistic behavior by quietly pleading with one of her friends in the room to accept the money so that the humiliation would end., The complaint continued: To make matters worse, Ms. Areu was stuck and could not even leave because Mr. Hannity engaged in this conduct while she was hooked into studio equipment that could only have been removed by a stagehand., During a December 2018 appearance on Tucker Carlsons show, meanwhile, the host demanded that Areu stay on the set after her segment and then, according to the lawsuit, hardly making any effort to hide his intentions, began telling Ms. Areu that he would be alone in New York City that night, and specifically said that he would be staying alone in his hotel room without any wife or kids., The complaint continued: Without question, Mr. Carlson was probing to see whether Ms. Areu was interested in a sexual relationship. The network said it moved aggressively to change its ways after former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes and star Bill OReilly lost their job because of accusations by women. The lawsuit and new allegations come nearly four years after then-Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes was ousted from the network after an external investigation due to sexual harassment claims in July 2016. The lawsuit filed in New York describes Areus discomfort with a March 2018 incident on the set of Hannitys show where the host allegedly put $100 on a desk and challenged the men on his staff to take her out on a date. (AP) _ A couple filed a $100 million lawsuit claiming the movie I chose to file this complaint because no woman should have to suffer the conduct to which I was subjected, much less the egregious conduct suffered by Ms. Eckhart, said Cathy Areu, a frequent guest on Fox News programs and shows that run on Fox Nation, the companys streaming service. As of Tuesday, nearly 92 percent of Henry Ford employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Read Next: Amanda Bynes to Join All That Cast Reunion in First Public Appearance Since Conservatorship Ended: Im Really Excited, AMC Networks Plans In-Person Upfront Session for Advertisers, Craig Ferguson, Sony Hope to Chart Late-Night Return With Syndicated Channel Surf, CNN Considering Content Contributions From Bill Maher, Warner Bros. He then began calling out to the men in the room and demanding that someone take Ms. Areu out on a date for drinks," according to the complaint. After she refused, Kurtz "punished" her by thereafter limiting her appearances on his show, according to the complaint. Foti said Henry had received graphic photos and suggestive messages from Eckhart. Ms. Areu and Jennifer Eckhartcan 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.. Fox News issued a statement on behalf of Hannity, Carlson and Kurtz, calling the claims in the suit "false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit.". Ed Henry, who was fired last Julyby Fox News Channelover a sexual misconduct allegation, filed multiple lawsuits this weekfor defamation,including one against NPR and CNNcorrespondents and anotheragainst Fox News and its CEO Suzanne Scott. It says that Fox News was notified on June 25 that Eckhart retained legal counsel in connection with allegations of assault and rape against Henry. According to the complaint, Henry also sent numerous texts suggesting that she have sex with him. She believes Abrams or someone else saw her manuscript. "Millions of Americans trust NPR to provide accurate information about the world and their communities every day; we take this responsibility very seriously. In 2019, she said Kurtz invited her to his hotel room to discuss her hope of getting a full-time job at Fox. Fox News said Areus allegations against others at Fox are false. 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. This is not one of those cases, said Catherine Foti, an attorney for Henry. Fox says it takes all claims of harassment and misconduct seriously. The lawyersrepresenting the accusers,Douglas H. Wigdor and Michael J. Willemin, declined to comment to USA TODAY on whether the crimes alleged in the lawsuit are being investigated by law enforcement. Months later, Eckhart claimed, Henry forced her to perform disturbing sexual acts on him. The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship. Being targeted again by Douglas Wigdors law firm, well known for its pursuit of sexual misconduct cases, is an uncomfortable rerun for Fox. 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. Mr. Carlson promptly retaliated against Ms. Areu, who was featured on his show only three times in 2019 and has not appeared once in 2020.. Lawsuit Against Fox News Alleges Harassment From Anchors, Sexual Assault From Ed Henry. I thought, This is my material. The filing comes ahead of the September 10 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. The suit also alleges other Fox News personalities, including Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz and Gianno Caldwell, subjected Areu to inappropriate sexual harassment and retaliation. Ms. Areu has only appeared approximately three times on 'Media Buzz' following her rejection of Mr. Kurtzs advances," the lawsuit says. Fox denounced the lawsuit and promised to fight it on behalf of its employees other than Henry. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and unspecified monetary damages. Study suggests US freshwater fish highly contaminated with forever Five ways a debt limit crisis could derail the US economy, How the war in Ukraine could end sooner than expected, What is ChatGPT? 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. The lawsuit said that Fox knew that Henry who took a four-month leave of absence in 2016 following published reports of his affair with a Las Vegas cocktail waitress had engaged in sexual misconduct as far back as 2017. Hannity and Carlson represent two-thirds of Foxs lucrative prime-time lineup, while Kurtz hosts the weekend Media Buzz show. The lawsuit, filed by Douglas Wigdor and Michael Willemin on behalf of Jennifer Eckhart and Cathy Areu, also alleges Fox News supported and promoted Henry after receiving complaints of sexually inappropriate behavior and only fired him earlier this month because they were aware of an impending lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that the vaccines only provide "limited immunity" and could be potentially harmful in the long run. Henry said some of the conversationrelied on the "false report" from Folkenflik and that Stelter "recklessly republished Mr. Folkenfliks allegation without confirming its authenticity. The Wigdor Firm declined, informing the investigators that neither plaintiff would be allowed to be interviewed, unless the investigators promised that anything either plaintiff said could not be used in any future litigation or proceeding. AI technology sends schools scrambling to preserve learning, The best place to hide during a nuclear blast. You will know when Im done.. Eckhart's suit, which seeks a monetary award, also alleges that Henry violated federal sex trafficking laws. 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 Based on the findings of a comprehensive independent investigation conducted by an outside law firm, including interviews with numerous eyewitnesses, we have determined that all of Cathy Areus claims against Fox News, including its management as well as its hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity & Howard Kurtz are false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit," the network said in a statement to USA TODAY. Over time, the lawsuit alleged, Henrys treatment of Eckhart became increasingly violent. White House rips appointment of extreme MAGA members to House Oversight panel, Trump trounces DeSantis in potential GOP primary match-up, new poll finds, McCarthy goes on attack against red-state Senate Democrats, White House charges GOP with hypocrisy on Trump, Biden. Unfortunately, it is actually worse, the suit says. The lawsuit on behalf of John and Joan Cox was filed this week in federal court in New York City. "Mr. Henry was not terminated after Fox News 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. Fox said there were no sexual harassment claims against Henry until they learned about Eckharts allegations last month. "Variants will continue to emerge, and surges can happen at any time, anywhere," Riney continued. Fox has battled allegations of sexual misconduct in the past, including against network chief Ailes, who died in 2017. Mr. Kurtz, who plainly wanted to see Ms. Areu only if she were alone and at his hotel (i.e., for sexual reasons) declined, the complaint claimed. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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