An associate producer has filed a lawsuit against Fox News Network, saying he was discriminated against because of his gender and subjected to unwelcome attention from on-air personality Andrew Napolitano, who was dramatically fired from the network on Monday evening. 

John Fawcett, who works on the Kudlow show hosted by Larry Kudlow on Fox Business Network, claims in his lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court in Manhattan that ‘sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and racial discrimination are still tolerated at Fox.’

He said executives ‘will bend over backwards to protect such behavior so long as it is perpetrated by senior management or prominent on-air personalities.’

A producer claims he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano, pictured,  in 2019 when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments towards him

A producer claims he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano, pictured,  in 2019 when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments towards him

A producer claims he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano, pictured,  in 2019 when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments towards him

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019, said he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano later that year when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019, said he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano later that year when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019, said he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano later that year when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments

In a statement, Fox News Media said it had investigated and addressed Fawcett’s claim against the personality, and that his additional claims were ‘baseless and nothing more than a desperate attempt at a payday.’

Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019, said he was in an elevator with Fox personality Andrew Napolitano later that year when Napolitano stroked his arm and made suggestive comments. 

‘Even though the two had never met previously, Judge Napolitano stood awkwardly close to the plaintiff, started stroking his arm, and asked who the plaintiff worked for,’ the lawsuit states.

Fawcett explained that he worked for former Fox Business host Lou Dobbs. 

'Even though the two had never met previously, Judge Napolitano stood awkwardly close to the plaintiff, started stroking his arm, and asked who the plaintiff worked for,' the lawsuit states.

'Even though the two had never met previously, Judge Napolitano stood awkwardly close to the plaintiff, started stroking his arm, and asked who the plaintiff worked for,' the lawsuit states.

‘Even though the two had never met previously, Judge Napolitano stood awkwardly close to the plaintiff, started stroking his arm, and asked who the plaintiff worked for,’ the lawsuit states.

Napolitano asked if he was looking for a new job and the pair spoke about Dobbs’s horse farm and Napolitano’s maple syrup farm.

‘You see these hands? They look clean, but they get really dirty,’ Judge Napolitano is alleged to have told Fawcett in a suggestive manner.

Napolitano went on to invite Fawcett to his Manhattan apartment or New Jersey farm. Fawcett ‘politely excused himself.’

‘When the plaintiff reached his office and told his co-workers about the encounter, they immediately started laughing,’ the lawsuit states. 

‘It was common knowledge that Judge Napolitano sexually harassed young men at Fox News, and it had even happened to one of the plaintiff’s co-workers. The plaintiff did not initially report the incident to human resources, however, because he did not want to jeopardize his career at Fox, but he did tell Mr. Dobbs.’ 

Fawcett told Dobbs who in turn reported allegations to Fox’s chief human resources officer, Kevin Lord, who is alleged to have responded: ‘Well, what are you going to do about it?’

Fawcett, seen left, was a producer for Lou Dobbs Tonight but he was also a reporter who would go out on the road

Fawcett, seen left, was a producer for Lou Dobbs Tonight but he was also a reporter who would go out on the road

Fawcett, seen left, was a producer for Lou Dobbs Tonight but he was also a reporter who would go out on the road

Fawcett claims the network did nothing to intervene despite there being two similar outstanding lawsuits against Napolitano.

Napolitano has previously called the allegations against him ‘pure fiction.’

Fawcett alleges that Napolitano’s reputation for sexual harassing young men was well-established by 2019, the year Fawcett says he began working for the Fox Business channel. 

Fawcett said he told his then-boss, Lou Dobbs, about the encounter who then told a company executive, but the executive was dismissive.

Fox said the network investigated and ‘took immediate, appropriate action.’ The company said it and Napolitano had since ended their relationship.

Fawcett also said that while working at Kudlow’s show, which he started working after Dobbs’ show was canceled, he has heard Kudlow use slurs and make sexually inappropriate remarks ‘in front of multiple staffers,’ including himself and a senior vice president, with no recrimination.

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019 said that while working at Larry Kudlow's show, he heard the host use slurs and make sexually inappropriate remarks with no recrimination

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019 said that while working at Larry Kudlow's show, he heard the host use slurs and make sexually inappropriate remarks with no recrimination

John Fawcett, 27, who was hired in March 2019 said that while working at Larry Kudlow’s show, he heard the host use slurs and make sexually inappropriate remarks with no recrimination

Inappropriate comments made by Kudlow to staff allegedly included him expressing a desire to have a ‘three-way’ with a Fox anchor. 

The remark occurred during a telephone conference with a company vice president, according to court documents. 

During a phone conference to discuss a segment on immigration, Kudlow is alleged to have remarked, ‘Why don’t we just let the Mexicans in?’ before suggesting ‘we’ need more ‘jalapeƱo pickers.’ 

He also claimed that Kudlow nixed the appearance of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on the show because of his race.  

‘No, no, no, I don’t want the black on the show,’ Kudlow is detailed in court documents as having stated. 

Fawcett claimed that Kudlow nixed the appearance of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on the show because of his race saying 'No, no, no, I don't want the black on the show.'

Fawcett claimed that Kudlow nixed the appearance of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on the show because of his race saying 'No, no, no, I don't want the black on the show.'

Fawcett claimed that Kudlow nixed the appearance of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on the show because of his race saying ‘No, no, no, I don’t want the black on the show.’

The senior vice president of programming at Fox Business who on the call at the time, Gary Schreier, who did not serve to reprimand Kudlow. 

‘Whatever happens on this phone call stays on this phone call,’ Schreier allegedly said. 

Fawcett said the executive producer of the show, a woman, discriminated against male staff in an effort to replace them with female staff, and that she tried to force Fawcett’s resignation or firing.

Henry accused Scott, pictured, of using him as a 'scapegoat' to hide an affair between company president Jay Wallace and an employee

Henry accused Scott, pictured, of using him as a 'scapegoat' to hide an affair between company president Jay Wallace and an employee

A ‘zero tolerance’ policy for sexual misconduct preached by Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott is ‘a fraud,’ Fawcett says 

A ‘zero tolerance’ policy for sexual misconduct preached by Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott is ‘a fraud,’ Fawcett says. 

‘Sexual harassment, sex discrimination and racial discrimination are still tolerated at Fox, snd Ms. Scott and her executive team will bend over backwards to protect such behavior,’ the lawsuit states.

Scott had been brought in to Fox News in  2018 in order to deal with the aftermath of the #MeToo scandals that brought down Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly. 

The network released a statement on Monday night explaining Napolitano’s sudden departure while defending itself over allegations made in the lawsuit. 

‘Upon first learning of John Fawcett’s allegations against Judge Andrew Napolitano, Fox News Media immediately investigated the claims and addressed the matter with both parties. The network and Judge Napolitano have since parted ways. We take all allegations of misconduct seriously, are committed to providing a safe, transparent, and collaborative workplace environment for all our employees and took immediate, appropriate action. 

‘Furthermore, the additional allegations laid out in this claim are completely baseless and nothing more than a desperate attempt at a payday by trying the case in the court of public opinion as the complaint does not meet the standards of the law. We will defend the matter vigorously in court.’ 

Scott had been brought in to Fox News in 2018 in order to deal with the aftermath of the #MeToo scandals that brought down Roger Ailes, pictured  and Bill O'Reilly. Ailes became CEO of FOX News in 1996 and and he resigned in 2016. He died  in 2017

Scott had been brought in to Fox News in 2018 in order to deal with the aftermath of the #MeToo scandals that brought down Roger Ailes, pictured  and Bill O'Reilly. Ailes became CEO of FOX News in 1996 and and he resigned in 2016. He died  in 2017

Scott had been brought in to Fox News in 2018 in order to deal with the aftermath of the #MeToo scandals that brought down Roger Ailes, pictured  and Bill O’Reilly. Ailes became CEO of FOX News in 1996 and and he resigned in 2016. He died  in 2017 

Source: Daily Mail

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