‘Not the Black’
Fox’s Kudlow spewed racism, sexism: suit
Fox Business host Larry Kudlow repeatedly made racist and sexist remarks during staff meetings and even blocked an on-air appearance by a Florida congressman because he is Black, according to a new lawsuit.
Kudlow, a former top official in President Donald Trump’s administration, told his Fox staff not to book U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) as a guest because he did not want “the Black” on his show that day, according to a lawsuit by a Fox producer.
That producer, John Fawcett, also alleged that Fox News contributor Andrew Napolitano sexually harassed him in an elevator in 2019, with network execs ignoring complaints. Napolitano, a former New Jersey judge, harassed other men at the network as well, according to Fawcett’s lawsuit.
He said network executives also dismissed complaints against Kudlow, former director of the National Economic Council under Trump. Fawcett, 27, has worked for Kudlow since host Lou Dobbs was fired in February.
Kudlow’s inappropriate comments to staff allegedly included expressing a desire to have a “three-way” with a Fox anchor. The remark came during a phone conference with a company vice president, according to court documents.
A short time later, during a phone conference about a scheduled immigration segment, Kudlow allegedly said, “Why don’t we just let the Mexicans in?” He went on to suggest that “we” need more “jalapeño pickers.”
And Kudlow allegedly blocked Congressman Donalds’ scheduled appearance by saying, “No, no, no, I don’t want the Black on the show.” A senior vice president for programming at Fox Business who was on the call, Gary Schreier, did not reprimand the host, according to Fawcett’s lawsuit.
“Whatever happens on this phone call stays on this phone call,” Schreier allegedly said.
A “zero tolerance” policy for sexual misconduct preached by Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott is “a fraud,” Fawcett says.
“Sexual harassment, sex discrimination and racial discrimination are still tolerated at Fox,” the lawsuit states. “And Ms. Scott and her executive team will bend over backwards to protect such behavior so long as it is perpetrated by senior management or prominent on-air personalities.”
Fawcett said he was in an elevator with Napolitano at the company’s Midtown office when the former New Jersey judge stroked his arm and propositioned him.
He said the network did not intervene, even though there were two outstanding lawsuits that made similar allegations against Napolitano.
Napolitano has previously called the allegations against him “pure fiction.”
Fawcett’s lawsuit was filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday.
Fox News said in a statement that allegations against Napolitano were investigated, and that the network and he have since parted ways.
“We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, are committed to providing a safe, transparent and collaborative workplace environment for all our employees and took immediate, appropriate action,” the statement said. “The additional allegations laid out in this claim are completely baseless and nothing more than a desperate attempt at a payday . ... We will defend the matter vigorously in court.”