Yes, and that kind of interviewing the fellow employees and strongly encouraging them to not have seen anything is felony witness tampering.
Who said they were alive?
There has been a truly astonishing spate of ignorance and lack of reading comprehension on this board in recent weeks.
For starters, felony witness tampering is generally for criminal cases only, NOT lawsuits.
And for state laws, some states require some sort of violence or intimidation for the action to fall under this category, not merely coaching of the witness.
For the Feds–
http://www.defraudingamerica.com/retaliation_crimes_right.html
Again, NOT a hearing before an employer regarding a civil lawsuit.
MORAL:
Be sure that you** know** what you think you know, before posting. If in doubt, research first, post second.
If there’s recorded evidence of an attempt to monkey with the witnesses. I doubt a Judge/Jury would look upon such an attempt very kindly though.
That was nice ignorance-fighting Flyer.
Twitter discussion. I combine tweets, add links and shuffle ordering a little:
James Wolcott: [INDENT]Not sure this nation can ever pay Gretchen Carlson the full gratitude owed for setting these dominoes into motion.[/INDENT]
Josh Marshall: [INDENT]I believe this so deeply. One person. And they almost closed her down.
To the Carlson haters, as part of my job I’ve watched Fox for years. I hear it ALL DAY. I never thought of Carlson as anything more or…any different from all the other Fox-speaking talking heads they have. But she did this. She took a real risk. And the outcome speaks …for itself. At least in his managerial capacity Ailes seems to have been running something just short of a criminal enterprise. A … procurement service for his sexual needs, a harassment unit for political enemies. If she hadn’t made that choice it would all still …be happening. I have no truck with anyone who wants to diminish what her stand accomplished.[/INDENT]
David H. Kaplan: [INDENT]People who do not take these personal risks/sacrifices should honor those who do. Could have gone very badly for @GretchenCarlson[/INDENT]
Josh Marshall:
[INDENT]Not to delve further into the ick. But remember the ‘deal’ as recounted by several of Ailes accusers was full service for him and …like now and again blowjobs for his friends. World has a lot of monsters. Most don’t have that much power.
Also remember that there’s zero doubt lots of women felt they had no choice but to take Ailes ‘deal’. You don’t keep taking at bats if…you never get on base. As a said a few weeks ago, the Ailes type NEVER starts at the top of the totem pole. They start with the …the weakness, the most powerless and then work their way up. @GretchenCarlson was near the top of the Fox News totem pole. We don’t … know the names of all the victims. But the numbers are probably staggering.
…
We all knew. Fox was a propaganda machine for the GOP, that had some actual journalists around to keep up appearances. The irony was… overtime institutional breakdown/fragmentation in GOP put Fox, which is to say Ailes in the drivers seat as effective head of GOP.[/INDENT]
(ETA: Full disclosure: I could have put that last paragraph on top. Read it as “We all knew: Fox was a propaganda machine for the GOP…”)
Notwithstanding my previous post, my respect for someone who successfully pursues their self interest is typically positive, but capped. That said, Carlson has apparently opened the floodgates.
Former Fox News talking head Andrea Tantaros claims she was removed from the airwaves for complaining in house about sexual harassment. While she is still drawing a salary, News Corp counters that her suspension was due to the cover of her latest book where she was bound with ropes. Their rejoinder in my view is horsepucky: there is no way that purveyors of the crotchcam would have a problem with this right wing whinefest.
Vanity Fair reports that Carlson’s settlement is expected to rise to 8 figures. The case is in New Jersey and might go to public trial: [INDENT][INDENT] “If they litigate the case, all the tapes will become public, directly and through others,” this person said. “Then you will have a parade of women come in. Nobody wants that.” (Ailes, through his lawyer, denied all allegations.) [/INDENT][/INDENT]
Andrea Tantaros is a commentator on the sexual harassment beat. Here are some of her thoughts on the subject:
[INDENT][INDENT]During the October 1, 2014, edition of Fox News’ Outnumbered, co-host Andrea Tantaros suggested that sex education week at a college campus should include “how not to … black out at a fraternity house,” and that women who face sexual assault “need to decide” between being “strong” and “capable of taking care of ourselves” or being “victims who need a special set of rules and regulations and protections." [Fox News, Outnumbered, 10/1/14]
In a November 10, 2011, New York Daily News column, Fox News host Andrea Tantaros wrote about the sexual harassment accusations against then-GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain, who is married: “This scandal should have every woman asking: At what point do women need to take some responsibility?" Added Tantaros, “Why have dinner and drinks with a married man in the first place? Why not meet him in his office if your purpose is strictly professional?” [New York Daily News, 11/10/11]
On the January 22, 2013, edition of Fox News’ The Five, co-host Andrea Tantaros blamed feminism for encouraging the statutory rape of a high school student, claiming, “There’s something about feminism that lets them know, ‘I can do everything that a man does, I can even go after that young boy.’” [Fox News, The Five, 1/22/13]
During the March 24, 2015, edition of Fox News’ Outnumbered, co-host Andrea Tantaros claimed that the focus on campus sexual assaults amounts to “a war happening on boys” and that it reflects “a theme in this country to go after boys in this rape culture.” [Fox News, Outnumbered, 3/24/15] [/INDENT][/INDENT]
Vox.com has a roundup of the story. Not their best effort, IMHO, but still useful.
Here’s an interesting quote. Links in original, I add underlines: [INDENT][INDENT] In story after story, from women who have given their names and from women who are too afraid to do so, a similar picture emerges. They say that not only was Roger Ailes a serial harasser of women, others around him also enabled him, and he set the tone for a toxic culture at Fox News wherein women were consistently mistreated, often by more than one perpetrator. [/INDENT][/INDENT] Remember all those in-house defenders? Those anons saying that Megyn Kelly was selfish? The mud is on them. I’m not making an accusation: I’m just alleging rising eyebrows.
Also Bill Shine, just promoted to co-President of Fox News, plays a starring role in one of the stories offered by one of the women. Remember that Roger Ailes wasn’t especially discrete. I opine others knew. I opine that others may have participated - not clear as crystal yet.
UPDATE
Gabriel Sherman of New York Magazine writes about the fall of the House of Ailes: “The Revenge of Roger’s Angels: How Fox News women took down the most powerful, and predatory, man in media.”
TPM notes that the article has at least five bombshells:
-
Gretchen Carlson secretly recorded Ailes on her iPhone beginning in 2014, saying the same sort of shit that he had been saying for years. Presumably her civil complaint had quotes.
-
I had wondered how Murdoch could afford to let go of Ailes: Fox News makes 20% of its profits - a cool billion dollars per year. But apparently Ailes has taken a number of health leaves in recent years and the ratings have held up. That said, all hell might break loose once Trump loses and pivots to start his own network. Rumor has it that Hannity will jump ship, O’Reilly wil retire, and Megan Kelly might take a juicy offer at a real network. Interesting Ailes signed a multiyear non-compete clause as part of his $40 billion severance package.
Ailes was a long time harasser of women, starting with his stint on the Mike Douglas Show during the 1960s. He helped Richard Nixon during his Presidential campaign, but didn’t secure a place at the White House due to his toxic reputation.
At Fox News, Ailes helped shape the corporate culture: [INDENT][INDENT] The fact that these incidents of harassment were so common may have contributed to why no one at Fox came forward or filed a lawsuit until now. Ailes’s attitudes about women permeated the very air of the network, from the exclusive hiring of attractive women to the strictly enforced skirts-and-heels dress code to the “leg cam” that lingers on female panelists’ crossed legs on air. It was hard to complain about something that was so normalized. Other senior executives harassed women, too. “Anyone who claimed there was a hostile work environment was seen as a complainer,” says a former Fox employee who says Ailes harassed her. “Or that they can’t take a joke.” [/INDENT][/INDENT] There is some independent verification for a claim made by Carlson upthread: [INDENT][INDENT] Karem Alsina, a former Fox makeup artist, told me she grew suspicious when Fox anchors came to see her before private meetings with Ailes to have their makeup done. “They would say, ‘I’m going to see Roger, gotta look beautiful!’ ” she recalled. “One of them came back down after a meeting, and the makeup on her nose and chin was gone.” [/INDENT][/INDENT]
I’m hearing reports that Greta van Sustren is out, immediately, at Fox News.
(According to Jake Sherman @ Politico).
Actually, I don’t know if “immediately” is the proper word - the subtitle is that Brit Hume will now be hosting her show “On The Record.”
$40 billion?
Typo.
Given that Bill O’Reilly is a big part of the Carlson lawsuit, and FOX settled with Carlson, not Ailes, I wonder how long he is going to be a part of FNN?
Hard to see how this makes sense for them. If reports that Ailes is a serial abuser are accurate, then offering one victim $20M is going to open the floodgates for a massive barrage. And if those reports are not accurate, then they’re not as liable for his misdeeds as they would otherwise be.
Part of the issue may be that they are on the hook for much of the settlement, according to the contract they had with Ailes. So settle for $20m instead of losing for $100m?
Did it not raise any eyebrows when Ailes employment contract included an if-I-get-sued-for-sexual-harassment-you-guys-have-to-pay-for-it clause?
You’re assuming it was specific to sexual harassment, but that’s unlikely.
Ambiguities about the Greta Van Susteren story exist. She was tossed out abruptly: she thought she would be airing the show today. TPM describing CNN report: " Either Greta wasn’t happy with how Fox had run under Ailes or she took the opportunity of Ailes’ defenestration to negotiate hard for a pay raise. Apparently Murdoch didn’t like that and this was the result." Good Times at Fox News - TPM – Talking Points Memo
Recall that Susteren was one of Ailes’ public defenders. Today, her husband says there might be further litigation.
Fox’s apology: [INDENT][INDENT] We sincerely regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect that she & all our colleagues deserve. [/INDENT][/INDENT]
Statute of limitations.
Plus, the other victims may have not recorded the proceeds on their iPhone, as Carlson was doing since 2014. And finally, the cat is out of the bag. Now it’s just damage control. NPR: [INDENT][INDENT]
INSKEEP: What about all the other women who have accused Roger Ailes?
FOLKENFLIK: Well, so about two dozen women have come forward and have participated in a legal review commissioned by the parent company to learn more about this. 21st Century Fox has confirmed that it has settled two other instances of women who made allegations against Ailes within the statute of limitations for that claim. That is, they could have filed a legal suit, did not do so, Fox paid some money to make those go away - not as high profile but there are other women, including Megyn Kelly, of course - perhaps the most famous female figure at Fox News - who said that they were harassed by Ailes. She said that that happened a decade ago when she was a young reporter in the D.C. bureau - outside the statute of limitations for a suit.[/INDENT][/INDENT] Former Fox Host Gretchen Carlson Gets Apology, $20M Settlement : NPR
Sources say the settlement should be something under $40 trillion. ;)
How do they know who else the guy might have harassed within the statute of limitations? And possibly more importantly, how do they know who might claim to have been harassed within the statute of limitations. $20M is a lot of money, and if advertise that you’re paying, there will be others wanting some of that stuff.
If you ask me, that cuts the other way. They might have been able to make a credible case that they weren’t aware of what Ailes was up to, but if they pay $20M to settle the case, then that’s a pretty public admission that they were complicit.