Fox News responded to former anchor Andrea Tantaros’ sexual harassment lawsuit by saying her complaint is filled with falsehoods and should be resolved in arbitration.
In a filing with the New York State Supreme Court, Fox News said “Tarantos is not a victim; she is an opportunist.”
Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes was forced out of his post after a sexual harassment lawsuit by former anchor Gretchen Carlson was filed. Parent company 21st Century Fox launched an investigation that turned up other women with similar complaints.
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Tarantos’ lawsuit named Fox News and several other senior executives at the network.
Tarantos was taken off the air, but has continued to be paid, under a pay or play provision in her contract.
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Fox News says she was taken off the air because she was publishing a book without getting approval as required by her contract.
“Tantaros suggests that her suspension for ignoring her employment obligations in connection with publishing a book was a pretext in retaliation for her complaints of supposed sexual harassment,” the court papers say. “The opposite is true: Tantaros's allegations about sexual harassment are a smokescreen to obscure her violation of her employment contract.”
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The papers add that when the law firm conducting the investigation for 21st Century Fox called Tarantos’ lawyers, they failed to return the call.
“Over the last few weeks, 21st Century Fox has made clear its commitment to providing a safe and dignified workplace at Fox News: By immediately launching an investigation in which women were encouraged to report their experiences under conditions of confidentiality, and by committing to make things right with those women who were not treated with the respect that they and every employee deserve,” the papers say.
