Brian Kilmeade / Twitter
Fox host Brian Kilmeade appeared on a panel discussion during the October 29 edition of ABC’s This Week, where he was invited to spout falsehoods about the Trump-Russia dossier. Kilmeade was not, however, included in This Week's discussion of sexual harassment, despite his network -- and his own show's -- high-profile culture of sexual harassment.
Kilmeade has a history of not-so-smart commentary; but, more importantly, he's a Trump sycophant with an affinity toward pro-Trump propaganda. So it’s no surprise that Kilmeade used his appearance to attempt to scandalize reports that the Clinton campaign retained an opposition research firm for the partly verified Trump-Russia dossier. Right-wing media, including Kilmeade's show Fox & Friends, have worked to try to discredit special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, which, it was recently reported, has filed the first charges in connection with his team’s probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
In addition to being a Trump shill with a disinterest in facts, Kilmeade is also a toxic misogynist at a network with an infrastructure that enables serial sexual harassment and who has a pervasive history of degrading women on air. In 2014 Kilmeade said of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice assaulting his wife on an elevator, “The message is, take the stairs.” During another broadcast in 2014, Kilmeade introduced his female colleagues by saying, “Let's see if the girls have clothes on.” He continued: ”If you're wearing something, please get naked. That goes for you too ladies." Kilmeade last year defended Trump against allegations of sexual harassment, falsely claiming that “none of” his accusers “are vetted.” And, notably, Kilmeade's former co-host Gretchen Carlson experienced extensive harassment and sexism during her time on Fox & Friends, including when in 2012, she walked off the set after Kilmeade remarked, “Women are everywhere. We’re letting them play golf and tennis now.” From Bloomberg Politics:
Kilmeade’s appearance comes amid mounting allegations of sexual harassment by women in Hollywood, Congress, and the news media (including his employer Fox News). ABC’s This Week even featured a panel discussion of these developments, but Kilmeade was not a participant on that panel. Just yesterday, Media Matters explained the importance of confronting Kilmeade over his employer’s toxic culture of sexual harassment.
Kilmeade isn’t the first misogynistic Fox News host to appear on This Week. Earlier this year, ABC scheduled noted racist and sexist Eric Bolling for a panel discussion. Bolling, formerly a co-host of The Five and The Specialists, left the network in September for reportedly sending unsolicited explicit pictures of himself to multiple female colleagues. Media Matters warned ABC about Bolling’s history before his appearance as well.