Areu alleges in the complaint that Henry sent her "a slew of wildly inappropriate sexual images and messages" including photographs and video. I am hopeful that my decision to file this action will result in positive change for women at Fox, and for all victims in the workplace, and I am honored that other women have come forward since my decision to do so.. The Me Too movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. This is not one of those cases., Eckharts lawyer, Michael Willemin, accused Foti of trying to slut-shame Eckhart and suggest that she was asking to be violently raped. This is not one of those cases, Foti said in a statement. It alleges a litany of sexual misconduct, ranging from sexual harassment to forced oral sex, against Henry, as well as allegations of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, discriminationand retaliatory conductagainstother network stars, including Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Howard Kurtz. Fox News was trying to avoid taking accountability for what actually happened; namely, that one of its most prominent on-air personalities with a history of multiple sexual harassment complaints sexually assaulted and raped Ms. Eckhart, the suit states. "We remain confident that vaccination is the most powerful tool we all have against the COVID-19 pandemic," the statement read. The lawsuit asserts Fox executives knew that Henry had been accused of sexual misconduct long before June 25. Eckhart became a sexual target of Mr. Henry, noting how Mr. The lawsuit names as defendants Paramount Pictures, director and co-producer Mike Nichols, screenplay author Jeffrey Abrams and others. The network denied knowing of sexual misconduct by Henry before this year. Eckhart, who was 24 at the time, said the 49-year-old Henry restrained her with metal handcuffs, took nude pictures of her and raped her in a hotel room. Indeed, right after he sent the video, he wrote, I had no idea you were here [in Florida]. Henry was later added as a co-anchor on Fox & Friends Weekend. According to the lawsuit, Henry laughed as he took the photographs, and Eckhart pleaded with Mr. Henry to stop, and to remove the handcuffs, and to delete the naked pictures he took of her without her consent. The photographs, the lawsuit suggested, were an intimidation tactic to keep Eckhart silent. Immediately after Henry sent Areu the video he texted her, Are you avail for anchor interview, the lawsuit alleges. The company has said it has made broad cultural changes since Ailes' ouster in 2016, but Wigdor and some former Fox News staffers say it has been slow to root out deeply embedded patterns of sexist behavior and actions. The lawsuit asserts that "Fox News continues to protect and reward perpetrators of sexual harassment and refuses to take accountability for putting such persons in positions of power from which they can subject women to sexual misconduct, sexual assault and, in the case of Ms. Eckhart, rape.". I stand for all victims who have been mistreated, harassed, assaulted, and even worse, at the hands of those in power, and the institutions that continue to support them, said Jennifer Eckhart, a former associate producer at Fox Business Network who worked in different positions there over seven years, in a statement provided by her attorney. 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As if this were not already obvious enough, shortly after this, Mr. Kurtz stated to Ms. Areu, in sum and substance, youre the only woman here who wont come to my hotel room. Ms. Areu has only appeared approximately three times on Media Buzz following her rejection of Mr. Kurtzs advances.. "Ms. Eckhart did not consent to any part of this violent, painful rape," the lawsuit says. On one occasion, he told her to remove her underwear and deliver it to him in an envelope. Ms. Areu and Jennifer Eckhart can pursue their claims against Ed Henry directly with him, as Fox News already took swift action as soon as it learned of Ms. Eckharts claims on June 25 and Mr. Henry is no longer employed by the network., The Me Too movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. Rather, Mr. Henrys employment was terminated because Fox News realized that it was on the precipice of a public relations nightmare and wanted to get out ahead of this suit and be able to claim that it had done the right thing. In 2016, Fox News then-CEO, Roger Ailes, was accused by multiple women of sexual harassment and creating a toxic culture for women. Mr. Carlson promptly retaliated against Ms. Areu, who was featured on his show only three times in 2019 and has not appeared once in 2020.. "Millions of Americans trust NPR to provide accurate information about the world and their communities every day; we take this responsibility very seriously. Henry Ford Chief Operating Officer Robert G. Riney spoke with The Detroit News in June regarding Henry Ford hospital's decision to mandate the vaccine. Based on the findings of a comprehensive independent investigation conducted by an outside law firm, including interviews with numerous eyewitnesses, we have determined that all of Cathy Areus claims against Fox News, including its management as well as its hosts Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity & Howard Kurtz and its contributor Gianno Caldwell, are false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit, Fox News said in a statement. "Mr. Henry was not terminated after Fox News learned of these complaints. Her allegations werent made public when Henry was fired. ", In a statement Foti said: "The Me Too movement has helped to bring to light a number of injustices in our society, and everyone that has suffered deserves to be heard. Like him, I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (and 5 week coma) from a car accident, instead of a bullet! Ed was suspended the same day and removed from his on-air responsibilities pending investigation. The filing comes ahead of the September 10 vaccine mandate deadline, which requires all health care works to be vaccinated or risk losing their jobs. Henry's lawsuit also accuses Scott of "whitewashing" sexual misconduct by network employees, including an alleged affair between a company subordinate and Fox News President Jay Wallace, who co-signed the statement regarding Henry's termination with Scott. On ExpressNews.com: Thomas J. Henry, law firm among defendants in lawsuit filed by alleged sexual assault victim She accused Henry, Thomas J. Henry Law In a series of messages, Henry states Whatever When u r owned U dont get a Choice, to which Eckhart responded You dont own me., The lawsuit also accused Fox Newss announcement of Henrys firing of being completely disingenuous and of downplaying the severity of the allegations by characterizing Henrys actions as merely sexual misconduct. . Over 50 Michigan health care workers have filed a lawsuit with their employer, stating that the COVID-19 vaccine is an infringement upon their human rights. The lawsuit alleges Hannity threw $100 on the desk during a taping of his show on March 8, 2018, and called out to the room demanding someone take Areu on a date and for drinks. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Some of the names in leadership may have changed since Roger Ailes regime, but Fox News institutional apathy towards sexual misconduct has not., According to the complaint, Eckhart alleged that Henry, who is married, groomed, psychologically manipulated and coerced her into a sexual relationship in which he referred to her as his sex slave. Additionally, the lawsuit claimed, when she would not comply voluntarily, [Henry] sexually assaulted her on office property, and raped her at a hotel where Fox News frequently lodged its visiting employees., The relationship began in 2014, according to the lawsuit, after Henry, who is two decades older than Eckhart, messaged her on Twitter telling her that he thought she was beautiful. From there, the lawsuit claimed, Ms. "Beyond that, we cannot comment on pending litigation.". She had appeared on Carlsons show at least 17 times in 2018 but just three times in 2019 and not once in 2020, according to the lawsuit. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Areu alleges that Hannity retaliated against her after an incident where he offered $100 for any male staffer who would go out on a date with her, with the lawsuit including a picture of the bill on Hannitys desk. The suit also alleges other Fox News personalities, including Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz and Gianno Caldwell, subjected Areu to inappropriate sexual harassment and retaliation. In a statement, Eckhart said: "My decision to speak out was not an easy one, but I refuse to let fear of retaliation, victim shaming and further attacks intimidate me into remaining silent.". The lawsuit claims that the vaccines only provide "limited immunity" and could be potentially harmful in the long run. Based on an outside law firms investigation, Fox said it found all of Areus claims false, patently frivolous and utterly devoid of any merit. Fox said it would defend itself vigorously. She believes Abrams or someone else saw her manuscript. Unfortunately, it is actually worse.. My decision to speak out was not an easy one, but I refuse to let fear of retaliation, victim shaming and further attacks intimidate me into remaining silent. WebI am very similar to the character, Henry, in the 1991 movie, 'Regarding Henry,' starring Harrison Ford! A frequent guest on Carlson's show in 2017 and 2018, the lawsuit says he tried to proposition her to join him alone in a hotel room in December 2018, and when she refused he "promptly retaliated against Ms. Areu, whowas featured on his show only three times in 2019 and has not appeared once in 2020.". Eckhart and co-plaintiff Cathy Areu are represented by Douglas Wigdor, a veteran of sexually charged suits against Fox News. Fox News fined $1 million in New York City settlement of sexual harassment allegations, Bill Cosby released from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by Pa. Supreme Court, James Franco agrees to pay $2.2M to settle sexual misconduct lawsuit filed by former students, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Nothing could be further from the truth, and it is precisely because of these types of attacks that many victims of sexual assault and rape suffer in silence.. When he sent the video and the text, Henry was aware Areu was looking for full-time work at Fox News, according to the lawsuit. "But we have lived this fight long enough to know that the new variants are real and worrisome," Riney added. The lawsuit further alleged that Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell repeatedly pressed Areu to date him, using the possibility of an introduction to his friend Ann Coulter as a lure. Because that condition is unreasonable, as evidence cannot be suppressed or hidden in this manner in litigation, our investigators were not given access to speak to either plaintiff. Earlier, in September 2015, the lawsuit says, Eckhart says Henry forced her to perform oral sex in a guest office on the 17th floor of the Fox News building. We def need to get together., The complaint added: Mr. It follows the story of how some of Fox's female personalities, including Carlson and Kelly, set out to expose the network's hostile work environment of sexual harassment and how Ailes allowed it to thrive. The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship. Fox has battled allegations of sexual misconduct in the past, including against network chief Ailes, who died in 2017. "Fox News continues to protect and rewardperpetrators of sexual harassment and refuses to take accountability for putting such persons inpositions of power from which they can subject women to sexual misconduct, sexual assault and, in the case of Ms. Eckhart, rape. One former Fox News staffer and one frequent on-air guest at Areu said she was also propositioned by Gianno Caldwell, a Fox contributor. 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