For the past couple of years, 21st Century Fox has been haunted by hostile workplace and gender and racial discrimination claims in the wake of reports alleging misbehavior by former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes. The company has now reached a major settlement that could resolve nearly all — if not all — pending lawsuits on this front. Fox’s potential settlement is a bit unusual because the deal was negotiated with Douglas Wigdor, an attorney who represents plaintiffs across many different lawsuits. Not all of his clients were ready to drop their claims.
Among Wigdor’s cases against Fox is a discrimination suit in federal court from local TV reporter Lidia Curanaj, who accuses the company of fostering a “misogynistic culture” and alleges that she didn’t get a job at Fox News when she wouldn’t submit sexually to Ailes. The attorney is also representing more than a dozen women in New York state court on claims that Fox fosters a hostile environment for dark-skinned employees. In addition, there’s a lawsuit by political pundit Scottie Hughes, who says she was raped by a Fox Business host and that the company retaliated against her for complaining by blacklisting her.
There’s more, including a defamation suit by Rod Wheeler, who investigated the death of former DNC staffer Seth Rich, plus retaliation and discrimination claims from Fox News radio correspondents Jessica Golloher and Kathleen Lee.
Wigdor has become, as Bloomberg once put it, the Trump-loving lawyer who won’t stop suing Fox News.
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