Ex-host sues Fox, Ailes over ‘sex-fueled’ workplace ‘cult’
A former Fox NEW YORK — News host has sued the network, its ousted chairman and other top executives, claiming they retaliated after she detailed unwanted sexual advances made by her onetime boss, Roger Ailes.
Andrea Tantaros described Fox in the lawsuit, filed Monday in New York, as a “sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult.” She said that after she complained last spring about Ailes, one of his top deputies, William Shine, warned her that Ailes was a “very powerful man” and that she “needed to let this one go.”
Shine was promoted to co-president of Fox News after Ailes resigned last month amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Ailes “may have been the primary culprit, but his actions were condoned by most senior lieutenants, who engaged in a concerted effort to silence Tantaros by threats, humiliation, and retaliation,” the lawsuit said.
The network said Tuesday that it can’t comment on pending litigation.
Ailes resigned in July after another former anchor, Gretchen Carlson, said in a lawsuit that she was fired for refusing his sexual advances. He has denied the accusations. Since then, other women have come forward alleging they were sexually harassed while at the network.
New York magazine reported that a former booker for the network, Laurie Luhn, alleged she had been sexually harassed by Ailes over a period of 20 years.
Tantaros said her lawsuit is meant to give “life to the saying that ‘the fish stinks from the head,’” claiming she also endured unwanted attention from others at Fox’s New York City studios.
Among them: Former Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Fox host Bill O’Reilly, neither of whom is listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Brown “made a number of sexually inappropriate comments to her” while filming on set last August and put his hands “on her lower waist,” the lawsuit said.
O’Reilly asked her to stay with him at his Long Island home and told her he believed she had a “wild side,” according to the lawsuit.
A representative for O’Reilly did not respond to a request for comment.
Brown said Tantaros’ claims about “on air, green room interactions are false,” adding his encounters were “always in full view of all staff, personnel and talent.”
Tantaros’ legal battles with Fox began last winter when the network said she had breached her employment contract by writing a book without getting clearance. But Tantaros said in her complaint that Fox executives used the dispute about the book to try to silence her.Tantaros said she was subjected to “demeaning conduct” such as having to strip in front of Fox News wardrobe personnel when she picked her on-air clothing.
In a separate incident, she said Ailes asked her twice to “turn around so I can get a good look at you,” adding, on one occasion, “Come over here so I can give you a hug.”
But when she complained, network executives retaliated by cutting her air time and planting news stories meant to tarnish her image, the lawsuit claims.
A man shouting “Allahu akbar” repeatedly stabbed and seriously injured a man and woman in Virginia after hearing voices telling him to attack someone, authorities said. Wasil Farooqui attacked the pair with a knife as they entered an apartment building Saturday evening in Roanoke County, police said. According to witnesses, Farooqui was yelling “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great.” The male victim was able to fight off Farooqui, who fled the scene, police said. Farooqui later arrived at the hospital to seek care for his own injuries and was arrested. Farooqui, 20, of Roanoke County, is charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and was being held without bond at the Western Virginia Regional Jail.
North Korea on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile from a submarine into the sea in an apparent protest against the start of annual South Korea-U.S. military drills, Seoul’s military said. The missile fired from a submarine off the eastern coastal town of Sinpo flew more than 300 miles, the longest flight of a North Korean submarine-launched missile, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. U.S. Strategic Command said it had tracked the North Korean submarine launch of the presumed KN-11 missile over and into the Sea of Japan. North Korea fired two other missiles from submarines earlier this year, but they were believed to have exploded in midair after flying less than 20 miles.
The man named to head Ireland’s Olympic committee after its president was arrested in a ticket-scalping case during the Rio Games is also suspected of participating in the scheme but left Brazil before he could be questioned, police said Tuesday. Authorities said William O’Brien, who took responsibility for the Irish committee after Patrick Hickey was detained last week, departed from Brazil one day before authorities obtained a warrant to seize his passport and mobile devices in a Sunday raid. Charged with conspiracy, ticket scalping and ambush marketing, Hickey is accused of plotting with other members of the Ireland committee and two companies to sell tickets above face value in a scheme authorities say could have netted $3 million in profits.
The Social Security Administration has rolled back extra security measures on the agency’s website after getting complaints from people who had trouble accessing their accounts. For years, workers and beneficiaries have been able to use the My Social Security website to get information about benefits, logging in with a user name and a password. On July 30, the agency began requiring people to sign into their account using a one-time code that was sent to them in a text message. However, Social Security has temporarily stopped requiring the extra security after getting complaints. People can still request the extra security on a voluntary basis.