Fox News hit with sexual misconduct suit, names several of its top male stars

Fox News was hit Monday with a lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct by many of the cable TV news network’s top on-air stars.

The suit, first reported by the Hollywood Reporter, includes allegations by former Fox Business associate producer Jennifer Eckhart. She alleges being raped by former news reader and White House chief correspondent Ed Henry, who was fired earlier this month in connection with the allegations. 

"The evidence in this case will demonstrate that Ms. Eckhart initiated and completely encouraged a consensual relationship," Henry's lawyer told the Hollywood Reporter. 

However, Fox knew about Henry’s sexual misconduct as far back as 2017 and failed to take action, which has now resulted in the network facing sex trafficking charges, the suit alleges.

The network has since at least 2016 been dealing with problems of sexual misconduct, which led to the firing of CEO Roger Ailes and show host Bill O’Reilly.

Read the full complaint.

The other plaintiff in the latest suit, Cathy Areu, alleges Fox News subjected women to a hostile workplace. 

Areu, an on-air personality, has accused Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Howie Kurtz of misconduct. Areu alleges that after rebuffing their advances she stopped being invited to appear on each of their respective programs. 

Fox responded to the charges.

"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 Areu’s 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," the network said in a statement to the Hollywood reporter.

"We take all claims of harassment, misconduct and retaliation seriously, promptly investigating them and taking immediate action as needed – in this case, the appropriate action based on our investigation is to defend vigorously against these baseless allegations. 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. Eckhart’s claims on June 25 and Mr. Henry is no longer employed by the network.”