Fox News has settled a lawsuit with a former producer who accused the company of subjecting her to a hostile and “toxic” work environment.
The company will pay Abby Grossberg, a former producer for “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” $12 million, Axios reported Friday.
Grossberg had claimed before her termination she experienced sexism and anti-Semitism.
Among other complaints she shared, the former producer said, “There were conversations that women who had tattoos or piercings or colored hair were disgusting.”
Grossberg also said of working on Carlson’s former show, “What’s being said in the office by his team and also his lieutenants who are carrying out his orders is very consistent with what ends up on the air and what the public sees.”
Trending:
The network initially called her claims that she had faced discrimination “baseless,” but the network agreed to settle with her Friday, The Associated Press reported.
Grossberg had claimed not only that was she subjected to harassment but also that Fox News coerced her into giving misleading testimony in Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against the network.
Fox News settled that lawsuit for $787 million in April just before the network ousted Carlton from his top-rated primetime show.
A judge in New York accepted the settlement between Fox News and Grossberg and closed the case.
Did Fox make a mistake in dismissing Tucker Carlson?
Yes: 99% (103 Votes)
No: 1% (1 Votes)
She had worked with both Carlson and Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo during her time at the network.
Carlson said he had never met Grossberg in person, as during her time as a producer on his show he was mostly working remotely.
“I know nothing about her. I never met her,” he said in an April statement to NPR.
A representative for Grossberg later confirmed she had never met the host as he spent most of his time at his homes in Florida and Maine.
“We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation,” a Fox News spokesman said in a statement.
Grossberg said in a statement she was “heartened” by the settlement.
“While I stand by my publicly filed claims and allegations, in light of today’s settlement of $12 million, pursuant to which I have now withdrawn those claims, I am heartened that Fox News has taken me and my legal claims seriously,” she said.
Read Abby Grossberg’s personal statement regarding today’s settlement of 12 Million Dollars. It has been our honor to represent you, Abby. #AbbyGrossberg #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/CiD9ru2Fw6
— Filippatos PLLC (@FilippatosPLLC) June 30, 2023
“I am hopeful, based on our discussions with Fox News today, that this resolution represents a positive step by the Network regarding its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace,” Grossberg said.
