Given the nastiness of Fox News’ attacks on New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman, his upcoming “major exposé” about Fox News, as The Daily Beast calls it, must be a doozy.
An article by Lloyd Grove in The Daily Beast yesterday notes that the turmoil at Fox News has not stopped the network from “slashing, nasty, and deeply personal” attacks. Apparently, Fox got wind of Sherman’s latest and contacted The Daily Beast for some prebuttal by smear campaign:
“Gabe Sherman is a virus, and is too small to exist on his own, and has obviously attached himself to the Ailes family to try to suck the life out of them,” [Mark] Mukasey, the son of former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, said in an interview Tuesday after sending an email to The Daily Beast inviting a reporter to call for his comments.
“Roger is fine and doing well, and is not going to allow a virus like that to poison the atmosphere.”
Sherman has noted that Mark Mukasey, one of Ailes’ attorneys, specializes in criminal cases, such as “securities fraud cases, money laundering, bribery, mail/wire fraud, etc.” It makes you wonder how much trouble Ailes might potentially be in over his use of corporate money for such matters as hush money for a woman who accused him of sexual harassment and/or the “Black Room” ops directed at his enemies.
Ailes’ other attorney, Susan Estrich, supposedly a feminist, also went on the attack, as per The Daily Beast (with my emphases):
“This is Gabe Sherman’s last stand, and it falls flat,” Estrich said in an emailed statement, referring to Sherman’s reporting on last week’s complaint against Ailes and four other Fox News executives by suspended Fox News personality Andrea Tantaros.
“Gabe Sherman has made clear that nothing will stand in the way of his vendetta against Roger Ailes, and he will use any woman he can find—no matter how clearly and deeply troubled she is—to try to concoct allegations against Mr. Ailes.”
Citing Tantaros and former Fox News guest booker Laurie Luhn, who Sherman reported received $3.15 million in company funds to buy her silence after Ailes sexually abused her for two decades, Estrich added: “But Gabe is running out of women he can use and abuse. Ultimately, it will be clear that the real enemy of women is Gabe Sherman.”
Really, Ms. Estrich? How many women did Sherman harass? Oh, that's right, none named. Meanwhile, there are two pending suits against Ailes, at least one more is in settlement talks, and a total of 25 have reportedly come forward with sexual harassment claims.
In short, it smacks of desperation.
This is far from Fox’s first strike against Sherman. Last week, CNN’s Brian Stelter got his hands on a 400-page opposition research file. Stelter wrote, “The mere existence of the memo shows how Ailes’ allies went to extreme lengths to investigate the reporter.”
Earlier this month, Politico reported that while Sherman was writing his 2014 biography of Ailes, the then-Fox CEO said, “I know where he lives, and I’m gonna send people to beat the shit out of him.”
Ailes was ousted from the network last month in the wake of multiple accusations of sexual harassment against him. But, apparently, his methods for dealing with criticism live on.
Roger Ailes caricature by DonkeyHotey via Creative Commons license.
love that Guilfoyle and J$ were found on Ailes’ schedule. :)
Birds of a feather.
Roger ‘Zipper Down’ Ailes set the sick corporate culture at Fox News. Known a-holes like Bill O’Reilly probably hang around because it fit his own pattern of abuse. Sexual harasser Steve Doocy was in on it too over at “Fox & Friends With Benefits”. That’s some of the talent.
Obviously, the kindest thing one can say about Fox News top management is they ‘merely’ turned a blind eye to all the abuse and retaliated against victims. Who would be surprised if they were the abusers as well?
Conservatives on Twitter are absolute crickets on this while their moral outrage over everything Obama and Clinton boils over into insanity! 👍
7:00 Morning refreshing constitutional walk around Central Park ‘full commando’, zipper down
8:00 Meet with my Secret Black Room team to coordinate messaging with my favorite sock puppet ‘Johnny Dollar’
8:30 View porn
9:00 Meet with Bill Shine on policy update re: shortening talent’s hemlines by 1/2"
9:30 View porn
10:00 Grab-ass with Guilfoyle
10:30 View porn
11:00 Check out Gretchen’s ass
11:30 View porn
12:00 Lunch. Have secretary order up milkshakes for O’Reilly and Trump in executive lunch room
1:00 Meet with Trump for campaign strategy session
1:30 View porn
2:00 Meet with Reince Priebus to get him back on message
2:30 View porn
3:00 Meet with Sean Hannity for strategy session on being Trump’s shadow campaign manager
3:30 View porn
4:00 Call accountant. Make sure this year’s $35,000,000 paycheck didn’t bounce
4:30 View porn
5:00 Meet with Andrea Tantaros to get sex stuff dirt on all the talent
5:30 View porn
6:00 Call wife to tell her I’ll be late for dinner due to urgent business
6:30 View porn
7:00 Arrange limo ride home
Also included will be the Fox “News” suits and mouthpieces who have not been named in the lawsuits. Their turn is next.
Coming down the pipeline:
1. Hackings.
2. More Fox “News” on air talent and suits exposed.
3. Advertisers get nervous.
4. Splitsville.
5. Hannocchio’s nervous breakdown.
6. 21st Century Fox thief.
NOTE TO MASSES
Post an open letter to all east coast area colleges and universities in regards to Fox “News” Channel’s association program for students. Address it to the president/chancellor/administrator of that school. You can change the letter’s content.
“Dear ( )
This fall, many students will sign up for internships at various news stations and broadcasting networks. In recent weeks, former Fox News Channel President Roger Ailes has been sued by a former on-air talent for allegedly sexual harassment. Since then, more than two dozen current and former female employees have come forward and accused Ailes of sexual harassment. Also, a former on-air talent is suing the network for sexual harassment. Due to current litigations, it would be in the best interests of the campus and students to temporary suspend this partnership until further notice.
Contact the Foxies advertisers’ Twitter account and ask them this simple gem: Will you continue to advertise on a network that has been accused of sexual harassment of women?