Fox Nation host Britt McHenry is suing Fox News, Fox Nation host George Murdoch (who goes by the name Tyrus), and several other Fox employees in federal court with the allegation that Tyrus, her former Fox Nation co-host, repeatedly sexually harassed her. The complaint also alleges that she experienced retaliation from Tyrus and others at Fox after reporting him and was subjected to a “sham” investigation that purportedly cleared Tyrus. 

The lawsuit, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on December 10, alleges that Fox News, Tyrus, and several other Fox employees named in the suit violated the New York City Human Rights Law, which prohibits sexual harassment, gender discrimination, retaliation, and aiding and abbetting gender discrimination and retaliation. Additionally, McHenry is suing Tyrus for intentional infliction of emotional distress. McHenry and Tyrus were the co-hosts of Fox Nation show UN-PC until Tyrus was removed from the show in April, following McHenry’s report. Fox then moved Tyrus to his own Fox Nation program, Nuff Said with Tyrus, effectively giving him a promotion. 

The complaint summarizes a pattern of misconduct allegedly committed by Tyrus and others at Fox while McHenry has been with the network:

Following reporting on the sexual harassment reports against Tyrus, Media Matters’ Pam Vogel explained in July that the way Fox News has handled the reports thus far demonstrates a formula of “nominally admonishing and sometimes suspending the employee reported for inappropriate behavior, launching an internal investigation, and then either discretely allowing them to return to the status quo or reluctantly firing them with a golden parachute.” 

The complaint includes many detailed allegations of misconduct: 

• The complaint, which says that “when women exercise their legal right to demand a workplace free of sexual abuse and retaliation, Fox News refuses to allow independent investigators to reach the truth, and instead covers up wrongdoing and helps abusers thrive,” includes a lengthy summary of sexual harassment and abuse incidents at the network.

• The Fox News sexual misconduct timeline begins with a settlement paid by former Fox host Bill O’Reilly “and/or” Fox in 2004, and summarizes other misconduct at the network, naming prominent Fox figures such as former CEO Roger Ailes and former host Eric Bolling. 

• The complaint also references comments made by Fox News host Tucker Carlson on a radio show in which he said he “would love that scenario” of young girls sexually experimenting, citing it as an example of the extent to which “Fox stands behind its on-air talent despite conduct and comments that can only be described as sexist, misogynistic, and discriminatory.”

• The complaint alleges numerous instances of sexual harassment committed by Tyrus, often via text message, including one where he wrote to McHenry “Dick pic coming in 5 sec!!!!”

• According to the complaint, after drinking heavily during a dinner with McHenry, Tyrus “grabbed Ms. McHenry’s hand and held it in an aggressive and overtly sexualized manner.”

• The complaint includes allegations of retaliation by Tyrus against McHenry after she did not reciprocate his advances, including on-air and off-air comments.

• McHenry reported Tyrus’ comments to a superior several times, according to the complaint, but was retaliated against for doing so and was told by a producer that she was “replaceable.” 

• After filing several reports, McHenry alleges that a Fox News Human Resources representative asked her what she did to “provoke” the harassing text messages from Tyrus. The complaint alleges that McHenry’s report was later dismissed because Fox felt there was no “clear intent to have sex with her.” 

• According to the complaint, Tyrus and Fox News host Greg Gutfeld mocked her reports on social media, and Gutfeld attempted to interfere with her work with another conservative outlet. 

• The complaint describes how McHenry’s role at the network was lessened after reporting Tyrus, while he was given a new Fox Nation show. 

• In responding to McHenry’s reports of sexual harassment, the complaint alleges Fox hired an investigator to investigate her, conducted a “sham” investigation with an outside firm that also represented Fox’s interests, and that Tyrus provided doctored text messages and “sexualized photos” purporting to be of McHenry that were not actually her, which the investigation accepted as legitimate.

As CNN reporter Oliver Darcy noted, shortly after news of the complaint broke, Tyrus sent a tweet showing Ray Liotta's character in Goodfellas laughing: