How Fox Retaliated Against a Local Reporter Who Says Roger Ailes Wanted Her to 'Submit to Him Sexually'
Bill O’Reilly is costing his network a lot of money. A reporter for a Fox affiliate in New York who sued 21st Century Fox in December for cultivating a “misogynistic culture” has filed an amended complaint that alludes to Bill O’Reilly‘s latest sexual harassment scandal.
Reporter Lidia Curanaj alleged late last year that former Fox News head Roger Ailes denied her a job at his network when he realized she would be “unwilling to submit to him, sexually” — the same kind of behavior other women have alleged against O’Reilly.
The amended complaint now mentions the $13 million in reported payments by O’Reilly to settle claims of sexual harassment, The Hollywood Reporter reported, as Curanaj’s attorney hopes to show that there is a culture of abuse and misogyny at Fox News.
“Disturbingly, the allegations against O’Reilly are substantially similar to the claims against Ailes,” the complaint said. “Upon information and belief, Ailes knew of O’Reilly’s unlawful conduct but failed to discipline O’Reilly, as Ailes was busy engaging in the exact same behavior. Additionally, as with settlements involving Ailes, the same key executives would have been involved in the execution and disbursement of settlements involving O’Reilly. For example, such individuals include Mark Kranz, Dianne Brandi and Denise Collins.”
Since filing the complaint in December, Curanaj claims that her workplace has retaliated against her. Her lawyer says that she has been subject to “unprecedented micromanagement and performance counseling on a nearly daily basis” as a result of the suit, THR reported.
The complaint also alleges that Curanaj’s bosses are highlighting even the smallest of errors in order to “create a paper trail in an effort to justify an impending discriminatory and retaliatory termination.”
21st Century Fox has responded to the suit by arguing that Curanaj was not an employee of 21st Century Fox and therefore shouldn’t be allowed to sue the parent company of Fox Television Stations.
