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Ex-Fox News host Gretchen Carlson sues CEO Roger Ailes claiming sexual harassment
Fox News chairman Roger Ailes is going on the offensive.
The media big fired back Wednesday night at former employee Gretchen Carlson"s accusations that he made repeated sexual advances towards her.
"Gretchen Carlson"s allegations are false. This is a retaliatory suit for the network"s decision not to renew her contract, which was due to the fact that her disappointingly low ratings were dragging down the afternoon lineup," Ailes said in a statement hours the lawsuit was filed in New Jersey Superior Court Wednesday.
Parent company 21st Century Fox, however, announced Wednesday night that it would conduct an internal probe into Carlson"s claims against the CEO and "Fox & Friends" co-host Steve Doocy.
s*x harass suit against Fox News boss rips other female hosts
Though Doocy was not named as a defendant, the suit accuses the conservative cad of having "created a hostile work environment by regularly treating (Carlson) in a sexist and condescending way" during their stint together on the controversial morning show.
"The Company has seen the allegations against Mr. Ailes and Mr. Doocy," a rep for Fox said in a statement.
"We take these matters seriously. While we have full confidence in Mr. Ailes and Mr. Doocy, who have served the company brilliantly for over two decades, we have commenced an internal review of the matter."
Carlson is accusing Ailes of terminating her after 11 years at the network because she refused to sleep with him. The "Real Story with Gretchen Carlson" host"s contract was allowed to expire on June 23.
Gretchen Carlson files sexual harassment suit against Roger Ailes
Carlson claims that a pattern of sexual harassment in the newsroom over several years culminated in a September meeting in which Ailes propositioned her.
"I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you"d be good and better and I"d be good and better," the complaint accuses Ailes, 76, of telling the former Miss America last September.
"Sometimes problems are easier to solve (that way)."
Carlsons lawyer, Nancy Erika Smith, told CNN Money that at least ten other women have contacted her firm to give their own accounts about mistreatment under Ailes leadership.
But Ailes disputes those claims.
"When Fox News did not commence any negotiations to renew her contract, Ms. Carlson became aware that her career with the network was likely over and conveniently began to pursue a lawsuit," Ailes said in his statement. "Ironically, Fox News provided her with more on-air opportunities over her 11 year tenure than any other employer in the industry, for which she thanked me in her recent book. This defamatory lawsuit is not only offensive, it is wholly without merit and will be defended vigorously."
Carlson"s legal team, though, points to a rise of 33% in her viewership this before her firing, making it the No. 1 rated cable news show in its time slot.
"We challenge him to deny, under oath, that he made the statements attributed to him in the Complaint," Smith and co-attorney Martin Hyman said in a joint statement.
They also threw the book at Ailes, saying the overbearing boss reviewed everything his employees said to the press or published.
"Gretchen was once chastised for answering a question from a hometown newspaper about her favorite Minnesota State Fair food," the lawyers said. "In her book Gretchen told her story while trying to keep her job - knowing that Ailes had to approve what she said."
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