April 3, 2017
Attorney Calls for Investigation of Fox News
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An attorney for a former Fox News contributor is calling for an independent investigation of sexual harassment allegations against host Bill O'Reilly.
Lisa Bloom represents Wendy Walsh, a former Fox News contributor who says she lost a segment on "The O'Reilly Factor" after she refused to go to O'Reilly's bedroom following a 2013 dinner in Los Angeles. She's seeking an investigation by New York City's Commission on Human Rights.
Walsh said she came forward because she was told by a New York Times reporter that many of the women who have accused O'Reilly of harassment are bound by gag orders. She said she is not bound by any such agreement and the statute of limitations has passed for her to sue.
"Nobody can silence me because my voice is not for sale," Walsh said. "Nobody can buy my voice."
The Times reported this weekend that Fox News' parent company 21st Century Fox or O'Reilly paid $13 million to five women since 2002 to settle cases where they alleged inappropriate behavior by O'Reilly. Last year, Fox News chief Roger Ailes left the network following accusations he had made unwanted sexual advances against women. Ailes has denied the charges.
Earlier Monday, a Fox News contributor filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes, saying she was denied opportunities after she rebuffed Ailes' advances and that current management sought to keep her complaints quiet.
