Sexual misconduct suit against Fox News, Ed Henry to proceed

By Jonathan Stempel | Reuters

NEW YORK – Fox News and erstwhile anchor Ed Henry indispensable look a suit accusing Henry of promising vocation advancement to coerce an worker into a sometimes convulsive intersexual narration including rape, and accusing the web of allowing a hostile enactment environment, a U.S. justice ruled connected Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams successful Manhattan said that erstwhile subordinate shaper Jennifer Eckhart could effort to amusement Henry engaged successful enactment trafficking, and “victim shamed” her by posting what helium claimed were nude photos of Eckhart successful the tribunal docket.

Abrams said Eckhart could besides effort to beryllium Fox News knew oregon should person known astir Henry’s harassing behavior, but not behaviour related to alleged enactment trafficking oregon the photos.

Separately, Abrams dismissed erstwhile on-air impermanent Cathy Areu’s suit accusing Henry and chap Fox anchors Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Howard Kurtz of subjecting her to intersexual harassment and a hostile environment, including demands she prosecute with them romantically and judge their “misogynistic behavior.”

Abrams said Areu could not prosecute immoderate claims due to the fact that she was not an employee, and did not amusement the anchors punished her for resisting their advances by reducing her airtime and hurting her career.

Henry’s lawyer Catherine Foti said the Eckhart determination undermined her client’s “legitimate efforts to support himself” against claims helium was assured would beryllium “baseless.”

Fox News said it would support against Eckhart’s “baseless” claims against the network, saying it “takes harassment allegations earnestly and acted appropriately.”

Both lawsuits echoed earlier claims astir intersexual misconduct that led to the departures of Fox News laminitis Roger Ailes and anchor Bill O’Reilly.

Fox News fired Henry successful July 2020 aft learning astir Eckhart’s accusations, including an alleged February 2017 rape successful a Manhattan edifice room.

In a tribunal filing, Henry said Eckhart “willingly and enthusiastically” engaged successful their “completely consensual” relationship.

Eckhart said Fox News fired her successful June 2020 aft she complained astir the enactment environment.

Michael Willemin, a lawyer for Eckhart, said she looked guardant to a assemblage trial.

Areu’s lawyer James Vagnini said his lawsuit was disappointed and would reappraisal whether to amend her complaint.

The cases, some successful the aforesaid docket, are Eckhart v Fox News Network LLC et al and Areu v Fox News Network LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-05593.