>> Fox News host Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Howard Kurtz and former host Ed Henry are
being accused of sexual misconduct in some of these cases and also rape in some of the
accusations. Now this is based on a federal lawsuit that was filed by an ex-employee at
Fox News and also a frequent Fox News guest.
Now the former employee Jennifer Eckhart, says that she was harassed and raped by Ed
Henry. Henry was actually fired on July 1st shortly after the network became aware of
the accusations. The lawsuit filed by Douglas Wigdor and Michael Willemin on behalf of Jennifer
Eckhart and Cathy Areu, also alleges Fox News supported and promoted Henry after receiving
complaints of sexually inappropriate behavior and only fired him after earlier this month
because they were aware of an impending lawsuit.
So that's a really important detail to the story. He was only fired after it became abundantly
clear, according to this lawsuit that the lawsuit was going to be filed. Now Fox News
was notified about the lawsuit on June 25th. And Ed Henry was fired on July 1st. The lawsuit
alleges that Henry, approximately twice Eckhart's age, had preyed upon, manipulated and groomed
Eckhart since she was 24.
The suit also alleges he asked her to be his sex slave and his little whore, and threatened
punishment and retaliation if she did not comply with his sexual demands. So the lawsuit
also states that Henry took nude photos of her without her consent before the alleged
assault. I'm gonna read from the lawsuit itself.
Miss Eckhart's counsel described to Fox News in graphic and specific detail how Mr. Henry
groomed, psychologically manipulated and coerced Miss Eckhart into having a sexual relationship
with him and that, when she would not comply voluntarily, he sexually assaulted her on
office property and raped her at a hotel where Fox News frequently lodged its visiting employees,
thereby facilitating, whether knowingly or unknowingly, Mr. Henry's conduct.
Now Jennifer Eckhart spoke out about these allegations during a recent appearance on
CBS News. Let's watch. >> Would you characterize the relationship
you were in with Ed Henry as mainly abusive? >> Absolutely, without question. I felt that
he had the power to derail me, to destroy me, to ruin my career.
And I just I didn't have a voice until now. >> Was there ever a time at Fox that you felt
safe? >> I think it's safe to say that I was paralyzed
by fear when I was working there. I don't know how you could continue to cultivate and
foster an environment that rewards sexual predators consistently year after year.
>> So Ed Henry's attorney has spoken out and denied the allegations and there is a second
woman who's alleging some pretty serious allegations against some of these Fox News hosts. I'll
get to her in just a minute and give you what those allegations are but Cenk I wanted you
to jump in and just comment on what we know so far.
>> So I loathe Fox News, but I'm gonna be fair, I don't know what happened. Ed Henry's
lawyers claim that they have a lot of pictures and texts of the relationship being completely
consensual. How do I know? How would anybody know? So honestly, I really hope this goes
to court because there's still a good chance they'll settle it at some point.
And then we'll never know. Look, Fox News to their credit to their great, great discredit
first, housed Roger Ailes who was a monster, a sexual harasser, assaulter. You name it,
he did it. He did it all of it. And it was some of the worst I have ever seen in my life.
And and then they housed Bill O'Reilly, who did horrible, horrific sexual harassment.
He clearly did it. And we have it on tape. So eventually to their credit, I guess to
save the company and whatever little credit you give them for it. They did fire those
two. And they had paid tens of millions of dollars in lawsuit claims.
And they knew that it was endangering a company, so they fired their chief and their top rated
host. They did not fire Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity and no other allegation had come
up before. And I can't stand those guys. But this is the first allegation against them
in a building that was filled with allegations and allegations that proved to be true.
So I don't know. And I know that in this environment, you're not allowed to say. I don't know, unless
of course it's a allegation against Joe Biden, in which case everybody knows that he didn't
do it. But putting that aside, I have no idea if it was consensual or not.
Now by the way, Ed Henry should have been fired even if it was consensual. And so that
was an easy fire for Fox News. But then not settling the cases could mean one of two things,
that either the people putting the case forward asked for so much money, they figure it's
worth the PR damage to fight it.
Or Fox News thinks we didn't do it, so we're not gonna settle. I don't know, I have no
idea. >> Yeah, look, I think that your commentary
on it is the right commentary, right? So I think the statement, believe women has been
if you believe it literally, I think it's problematic but I don't think it was ever
intended to be literal.
I think it meant take allegations seriously and investigate them. Don't just blow people
off whether it's a man or a woman. When they come forward with these types of allegations,
they should be investigated. And so I think that the responsible thing to do is to say
what you just said, Cenk.
We don't know. As much as I despise Fox and despise the various people who have been named
in this lawsuit, it would be unfair to pretend as though we know without a shadow of a doubt
that they committed these horrible acts. But I do hope it goes to trial and I hope that
there is a full investigation because these allegations are serious.
Allegations of rape are clearly serious, allegations of abuse of power, sexual harassment. Now,
the second woman who I mentioned earlier, Kathy Areu, also spoke to CBS News about her
allegations. I wanna go to the video first and then fill in some blanks for you guys.
Take a look.
>> I kind of got numb to it. I thought it was perfectly fine to receive pornographic
images and gifts. I thought that was normal for a male anchor to do on Easter.
>> To send pornographic images? >> Yeah, just thought it was.
>> To send you pornographic images?
>> Yeah, yeah. >> So she claims that she received pornographic
images and videos. In one video titled Fastest Interview, someone purportedly interviewing
for a position exposes her vagina and afterward the interviewer indicates that she got the
job. Immediately after she was sent the video and it basically said, sent the video by,
I believe, Ed Henry, yes, and it said are you avail for anchor interview, the lawsuit
alleges.
So if Ed Henry did in fact send her that video via text message, then she would have that
as evidence. Hopefully she kept it if that's the case. Also she was looking for a full
time job at the time. And the lawsuit also states that in December of 2018, Tucker Carlson
told her he would be alone in New York City that night in a hotel room without his wife
or kids.
She awkwardly sidestepped the advances and declined to spend the night at Carlson's hotel.
She had appeared on Carlson's show at least 17 times in 2018, but just three times in
2019 and not once in 2020, according to the lawsuit. Note, that might seem like a corroborates
her statements, but you never know.
I mean, I haven't been on CNN for a long time, right? Because the topics that they would
typically have me on have changed. So you never know what's real, what's not. What you
do know is that you should take these accusations seriously. Fox News does have a dark history
of sexual harassment and sexual assault and so it should be investigated to the fullest
extent.
When it comes to Howard Kurtz, Kurtz allegedly invited Areu to his hotel room on July 9th
of 2019 while he was in New York City. She declined, but invited him to dinner with her
and her friend in town, which he declined. The morning after, Kurtz allegedly refused
to meet with her at the studio and shortly after, told her quote, you're the only woman
who won't come to my hotel room, according to the lawsuit.
>> Okay, so look, in in situations like Christine Blasey Ford, she has almost nothing to gain
by coming out against Kavanagh and she has a ton to lose which she did. She was stalked
and harassed for so long and ripped apart by conservative media. In a situation with
Fox News, they're already vulnerable because of all the horrific things they've done in
the past.
And yes, somebody would have a ton to gain. So that doesn't mean that either side is right
again, for the 18th time. That's what that's what courts are for. That's what the judicial
system is for. So if it turns out Howard Kurtz and Tom Carlson are really demanding that
people that are on air come to their hotel room, that's a billion miles out of bounds.
And I'm just shocked that people do that. And really come to my hotel room and you think
that's a matter of course. So I'm really curious as to whether they actually did that. If they
did, they should be fired, and it's clear as day. And but at the same time we should
withhold judgement until we know what actually happened.
Right now, these are allegations.