Remember Brian Lewis, the ex “right hand man” to Fox News chief Roger Ailes who threatened to spill secrets after being fired and escorted out of the building? You may recall that Lewis was allegedly fired for “financial issues and other performance problems.” However, Politico reported that Lewis had been suspected of leaking information to writer Gabriel Sherman, author of the forthcoming unauthorized biography of Ailes. Now comes word from Gawker that Lewis has been paid $8 million not to talk.
Gawker says it got the $8 million figure from an unnamed Fox executive who has “knowledge of the negotiations.”
The Fox News executive, while acknowledging that $8 million is a hefty severance, said he believes the figure would have been much higher if Lewis actually had seriously damaging information to disseminate about his former boss. He also supplied new details of Lewis’s firing.
“That whole financial impropriety thing was complete bullshit,” explained the executive, corroborating the accounts of several other Fox sources. “Everything was about Gabe Sherman.” …Ailes designated Lewis as Sherman’s point of contact at the network.
Gawker’s source also said that Fox’s PR department had been divided over how to respond to Sherman, with some feeling that he should be given the silent treatment while Lewis and others wanted to engage.
“People in the first camp would say things like, ‘Mention the words Gabe and Sherman and you’re fired,’ while people in the second camp were more like, ‘Let’s talk with him,’” the executive contended. “The day the first camp won Roger over was the day Brian became an enormous liability.”
So while Lewis may not have had “seriously damaging information to disseminate about Ailes,” clearly he had something Ailes didn’t want divulged. Sadly, we will probably never know what.
On the other hand, maybe Lewis had already revealed the worst of it to Lewis before he got fired.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what’s in the book.
There’s a reason we call Rupy Ruthless.
Just remember “John” (interesting name when ranting about “sex crimes”) that for every cop involved in making a bust made at a sex shop, that means one less cop available to investigate a rape or arson or drug deal at a school or case of child abuse or murder or carjacking or home burglary or armed robbery.
Two months ago my CEO was fired. The official e-mail that they sent to employees and the media was he was going to pursue other opportunities. He was given $10 million and a 2014 Mercedes, valued at $175k as a parting gift, which proves the problems we have been experiencing for several years has nothing to do with the lack of skill from the America worker, but the greed of upper management.
“This is how the Fox “News” frauds operate. If they know you have damaging information on them, they will pay you off.”
AMEN 1000 TIMES Antoinette! Remember Andrea Mackris, the woman who was paid AT LEAST A SEVEN FIGURE SETTLEMENT to keep her mouth shut about her little escapade with Bully O’Lielly?
;^)
To get an idea of how these frauds operate look at the U.K. scandal of News Corporation.
Ailes has enemies within Fox “News” Channel. They know a lot of gems involving this aging fool. His little private “parties” are infamous, and the staffers know what we are talking about.
The Nixon trainee is responsible for the hire and fire of staffers. The clown who works under him acts like he’s in charge, but he’s not. He’s nothing but a servant to the trainee.
This bog has dirty secrets, and he will pay to to keep it a secret. We have bad news for this clown. His secrets will be out anyway.
NOTE TO AILES
We take Gabriel Sherman over you in a heartbeat. You don’t belong at News Corporation, you belong behind bars.
And never say never- Most of Fox News’ employees hit a point where they speak up. Remember how loyal Beck was until they found his “fuck you” button? And I doubt Lewis is leaving with as much loyalty as the rodeo clown had left.