Two women who previously settled sexual harassment claims against Bill O’Reilly are mad as hell about disparaging comments made about them by him and Rupert Murdoch.
The two women are former O’Reilly Factor producer Andrea Mackris (of “falafel thing” fame) and Rebecca Diamond Gomez, a former Fox Business host. They joined a lawsuit previously filed by Rachel Witlieb Bernstein alleging that public statements made by O’Reilly and the network were defamatory and violated her non-disclosure agreement. Unlike Mackris and Gomez, Bernstein's harassment suit did not claim she was sexually harassed by O'Reilly.
The New York Times has the scoop:
Since the public exposure of those agreements and the allegations against him, Mr. O’Reilly has said that the claims that led to his ouster from Fox News in April have no merit, that he “never mistreated anyone,” that he was the victim of a “political and financial hit job,” that his fame had made him a target and that he “put to rest any controversies to spare” his children.
“In fact,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, “he mistreated both Ms. Mackris and Ms. Diamond and he is well aware of the irrefutable evidence of his harassment, abuse and mistreatment which caused him to settle their legal claims.”
Recently, Rupert Murdoch reportedly enraged current and former Fox News women with his dismissive remarks about sexual harassment at the network. His big mouth may be about to cause him big money and a big headache.
More from The Times:
“Murdoch knew that the plaintiffs had valid claims and significant evidence when he disparaged and defamed them,” the women said in the lawsuit, adding that their claims “were never ‘nonsense’ or ‘flirting’ or because Fox News is ‘conservative.’ Murdoch, as C.E.O. of Fox News, speaks on behalf of defendant Fox News as an authorized spokesperson and binds defendant Fox News with his statements.”
[…]
The women are seeking a release from the confidentiality and nondisparagement clauses of the settlements, an apology from Mr. O’Reilly, Fox News and Mr. Murdoch, an admission that they raised valid claims and had solid evidence, as well as compensation provided by the law for reputational damages, emotional harm and attorneys fees, Ms. Smith said.
Listen to O’Reilly get a friendly platform from Sean Hannity to play the victim and disparage his accusers below, from the September 18, 2017 The Sean Hannity Show, via Media Matters.
(Bill O’Reilly caricature by Nina Brodsky)