Britt McHenry Is The Latest Woman To Sue Fox News For Sexual Harassment

Fox’s list of sexual harassment and misconduct claims continues to grow, despite the network’s assertions that it has turned over a new leaf. In a new lawsuit revealed on Tuesday, the network’s toxic company culture is once again exposed as Fox News continues to be deliberately gaslight women who come forward with sexual assault claims. 

Britt McHenry, who co-hosted Fox Nation with George “Tyrus” Murdoch, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit this week alleging that the network, Murdoch, and several top executives retaliated against her following a sexual harassment claim she filed October 2018. 

The claim stated that in the course of their working relationship, Murdoch harassed McHenry by sending sexually suggestive text messages as well as in person verbal harassment. In addition to discrimination following her initial complaint, the lawsuit accuses Fox for using outside firms to investigate the, in their words, “sham investigations.” Both Fox and Murdoch continue to deny the accusations lodged against them in the lawsuit, but McHenry feels strongly that this obviously-systematic issue can no longer go overlooked.

“I am standing up for myself, for women and for what’s right,” McHenry tweeted on Tuesday. I feel for any sexual harassment victim who has their story and evidence dismissed, doubted and not believed.” According to McHenry, her story is unwavering, maintaining the same exact allegations as her original complaint to the network over a year ago, because, “the truth doesn’t change.”

Fox had two independent probes investigate the matter, but McHenry insists both of them were not credible. According to her, one probe claimed to uncover photographs she sent to Murdoch “with her cleavage and nearly bare breast shown.” McHenry claims those photos are clearly doctored. “A simple Google Image search shows that the first image was taken from a website and the woman depicted was not Ms. McHenry,” reads the claim filed earlier this week.

According to the lawsuit, since filing the initial complaint in 2018, McHenry has received fewer professional opportunities including on-air appearances and marketing for her show. Meanwhile, Murdoch was given a new show, Nuff Said, to host. 

But Murdoch denies the allegations. In a statement from his lawyer, Tom Clare, said Murdoch is looking forward to clearing his name from “the smear campaign that had been waged against him in the media.” Murdoch plans to pursue defamation counterclaims.

Fox released a statement saying it expected all the charges associated with the lawsuit to be dismissed. "As we have previously stated, Ms. McHenry's allegations have been fully investigated and we are confident our actions will be deemed entirely appropriate in litigation," said a spokesperson for the network.

McHenry’s experience is another pivotal step in the #MeToo movement. Coming forward and speaking the truth has been on of the main focuses of the campaign, but having the courage to insist that things have not been properly handled is another important factor in workplace equality and women being heard. For each person who does this in a public way, it is another example showing women that it is not only important to report incidents of sexual harassment and assault in the first place, but to call out retaliation and unfair treatment after the fact.

And, Fox has a deep history with sexual harassment charges against anchors and executives alike. In 2017, Fox’s CEO Roger Ailes was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct before he eventually left the company he helped create. Next came Bill O’Reilly, who was also accused of sexual harassment from multiple women. Both Ailes and O’Reilly received substantial payouts to leave the company. Former Fox news anchor Gretchen Carlson accused Ailes and her former co-host Steve Doocy of retaliating against her by trying to sabotage her career after she complained about “severe and pervasive sexual harassment.” Megyn Kelly was another one of the several women to speak out against Ailes in her memoir, Settle for More. 

Carlson expressed her support of McHenry on Twitter following the lawsuit. In her tweet, she calls out Fox for only claiming to change without actually changing how it handles harassment. Carlson adds that if Fox had really changed like they claim, this wouldn't be happening adding, “Fox should also release all women from NDAs they were forced to sign to receive settlements. Only then will there be full transparency and truth.”