Ailes’ death complicates lawsuits

federal case filed last year by Lidija Ujkic. She alleged that Ailes failed to hire her for a Fox News job after questioning one of her former boyfriends about whether she would “put out, sexually.” Told that she was a “very nice girl,” Ailes allegedly called her and said he did not believe she was “ready” for Fox News, the lawsuit charged.

“When our client testifies to these things, Roger Ailes will not be there to rebut her,” said Douglas Wigdor, a New York City attorney representing Ujkic. “Fox won’t be able to call him (as a witness) and say that’s not true.”

However, the company may be able to produce workplace records that would provide context, said Emily Martin, general counsel for the National Women’s Law Center.

Attorneys representing Fox and Ailes did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Lawyers for other women who filed similar cases declined to comment Thursday.

“Roger Ailes has left behind a grieving widow and teenage child. They did nothing wrong, and surely deserve our sympathy,” Judd Burstein, the lawyer representing former Fox News host Andrea Tantaros in a sexual-harassment case, said in a written statement.

Smith’s legal clients have included former Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson, who in September won a $20 million settlement and an apology from Fox’s parent firm after she filed a sexual harassment case against Ailes.

Fox News separately faces federal inquiries involving business practices that may have been related to the sex-harassment claims.

The probe came to light in February, after Burstein said federal prosecutors were investigating Fox over settlements the company paid to individuals who filed sexual-harassment suits against Ailes.