Fox News chief Roger Ailes sexually harassed Gretchen Carlson and ended her career after being rebuffed, according to a lawsuit filed by the former Fox & Friends co-anchor.
Carlson alleged she was fired after rebuking sexual advances by Ailes and after trying to challenge the way that male colleagues treated her. She alleged that Ailes propositioned her sexually after she met with him last September to discuss discriminatory treatment. In one of the most inflammatory accusations, Carlson alleged Ailes told her, "I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you'd be good and better and I'd be good and better," adding that "sometimes problems are easier to solve" that way. The lawsuit contends that in retaliation for Carlson's complaints about the alleged harassment and discrimination, Ailes denied her "fair compensation, desirable assignments and other career-enhancing opportunities," before eventually terminating her employment.
The Daily Beast openly suggests (albeit with a "Betteridge" headline) that Ailes is the "next Bill Cosby." The impression that presenters are hired at Fox to someone's tastes has long been in play; there's no mystery regarding whose.
In response to learning of Carlson's complaints, Carlson's lawsuit alleges, Ailes purportedly responded by calling Carlson a "man hater" and telling her she needed to learn to "get along with the boys." The lawsuit cites examples of Ailes' alleged sexual and sexist comments, including claims that Ailes engaged in "ogling Carlson in his office and asking her to turn around so he could view her posterior," "commenting repeatedly about Carlson's legs," and "claiming that Carlson saw everything as if it 'only rains on women' and admonishing her to stop worrying about being treated equally and 'getting offended so God damn easy about everything.'"
