Megyn Kelly Was Subject of ‘Multiple Incidents’ of Harassment by Roger Ailes

The Ailes ouster story took a confusing turn Tuesday afternoon when The Drudge Report first published an agreement indicating that Ailes would walk away with million and then pulled the supposed agreement.

Ailes denied Carlson’s charges. The Wall Street Journal reports Fox was negotiating Ailes’ exit with his legal team as of Tuesday evening (July 19).

Fox News Channel chairman and CEO Roger Ailes is seen in a handout photo.

Lawyers for Carlson are trying to stop Ailes from moving her lawsuit from New Jersey state court to NY federal court and forcing the case into private arbitration under the terms of her contract. It’s refreshing news that the exec will no longer run Fox News, but the fact that he’ll be payed to leave taints the bit of progress achieved.

In a prepared statement, Estrich disputed the NY report. “And the Murdoch sons would like the company to reflect what they believe are more 21st century values”.

UPDATE #4: CNN’s Dylan Byers reports that Rupert Murdoch will be in New York City next week. Carlson claimed to have been fired only after rejecting Ailes’ advances, and as allegations like this against powerful men so often do, Carlson’s claims opened up the floodgates for more than a dozen additional allegations.

They can’t afford to have management turmoil at Fox News throw the business off course.

The company did not address any negotiations. Separately, Fox News on Tuesday sued Charter Communications Inc., alleging breach of contract. “And nearly nobody can imagine what it becomes without Roger Ailes”. NY magazine reported that Kelly told lawyers leading an internal Fox investigation that Ailes had sexually harassed her a decade ago.

Variety is independently reporting Ailes’ departure, with an anonymous source claiming an “official announcement” is “imminent”.

Carlson, a mainstay of the network for 11 years, left Fox News on June 23 and shortly afterward filed a lawsuit against her former boss. All three were in agreement on Ailes’ fate, the person said. The former Fox anchor had described to Kelly being kissed against her will by Ailes during a private meeting.

There is no obvious successor to Mr. Ailes. Shine is considered a leading candidate to step in for Ailes. One is that the elder Murdoch now shares control of his media empire with his two sons, and it appears they do not share their father’s deep loyalty to executives who help build that empire.

In a tweet, 21st Century Fox said, “Roger is at work”.

Missing from the statement was any public show of support for Ailes, the mastermind of Fox News, the highest-rated cable news channel in the United States.

Variety’s Cynthia Littleton was able to ask 7 p.m. host Greta Van Susteren about Ailes’ status during Monday’s convention coverage, and the host said she “doesn’t know anything”.