Fox News has 'parted ways' with legal analyst Andrew Napolitano after sexual harassment investigation
Fox News dropped longtime legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano after a 27-year-old associate producer complained he had "sexually harassed numerous young male employees during his tenure at Fox News," according to a legal complaint filed Monday, Variety reports. The associate producer, John Fawcett, says he told Fox News HR about Napolitano's alleged misconduct but the network did not take any immediate action. Napolitano has not appeared on Fox News in several months.
Fox News disputed Fawcett's characterization in a statement Monday, saying it "immediately investigated the claims and addressed the matter with both parties," taking "immediate, appropriate action." Fox News also said "the network and Judge Napolitano have since parted ways," adding: "We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, are committed to providing a safe, transparent, and collaborative workplace environment for all our employees."
Fawcett first worked on Lou Dobbs' Fox Business show until it was canceled, then moved to Larry Kudlow's show. In his complaint, Fawcett also said Kudlow "used ethnic slurs and made sexually inappropriate comments about women in front of multiple staff members" and "blocked a congressman from appearing as a guest on his program because of the congressman's race." Fox News called these allegations, plus sex-discrimination charges against a female Kudlow senior producer, "completely baseless and nothing more than a desperate attempt at a payday."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fawcett is represented by Ty Clevenger, the attorney who, Variety notes, "also works on behalf of Ed Henry, a former Fox News anchor who was dismissed from Fox last year after an investigation into his conduct."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - December 22, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - the long and short of it, trigger finger, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously spirited cartoons about the spirit of Christmas
Cartoons Artists take on excuses, pardons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published