Fox Nation’s Britt McHenry sexual harassment lawsuit against Tyrus may go ahead

Fox Nation commentator Britt McHenry’s sexual harassment lawsuit against former co-host George Murdoch (aka Tyrus) may go ahead, a federal judge said on Friday. But McHenry’s claims against Fox News’ parent company and two of its executives, John Finley and Monica Mekeel, were dismissed.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled that “Murdoch’s communications [to McHenry], as pleaded, are easily interpreted to reflect sexual advances and propositions, albeit unusually crude and awkward, towards her. The judge also ruled that the text messages included in the complaint “do not affirmatively support the conclusion that McHenry cultivated Murdoch’s text messages to him, including those about his genitals and sexual desires.”

Engelmayer denied Murdoch’s request to dismiss McHenry’s claims that he retaliated against her for exposing her alleged behavior based on “the temporal proximity of Murdoch’s actions to the complaint and the investigation of her conduct. ; the suddenness of Murdoch’s change of behavior, of making sexual advances towards her in order to attack her on the air and in front of a guest of the network and to circulate texts and doctored images of her; and the rage reflected in those acts themselves.

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Although the judge dismissed McHenry’s claims of aiding and abetting sexual harassment and sex discrimination against Fox Nation executive producer Jennifer Rauchet, McHenry will still be able to pursue his retaliatory allegations against Rauchet.

“We are pleased the court dismissed all of McHenry’s unfounded complaints against Fox Corporation, Monica Mekeel and John Finley, as well as the harassment complaints against Jennifer Rauchet,” a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement. “Once the facts of the case are presented, we are confident that Fox News and Rauchet will prevail over McHenry’s other claims, which are also baseless.

Last year, McHenry sued Murdoch, Fox News, parent company Fox Corp. and three network executives – Rauchet, Finley and Mekeel – after saying the network failed to adequately respond to his harassment accusations sex against Murdoch, then retaliated against her for coming forward.

Also read: Fox Nation’s Britt McHenry sues network for sexual harassment and retaliation

In her initial complaint, McHenry said that Murdoch’s sexual harassment began in August 2018, just before she and Murdoch became co-hosts of Fox Nation’s “Un-PC” show. At that point, McHenry said, Murdoch started sending her unwanted sex texts such as “Dick pic coming in 5 sec !!!!” and “I especially like your heat knees,” according to the costume.

“I’m happy with the judge’s ruling today that my case against my stalker, Fox News, and an executive producer involved will go forward,” McHenry said in a statement to TheWrap. “For every woman who fights for fairness and professionalism, have confidence that our voices are heard. In a year that has brought so many difficulties, it is a light at the end of the tunnel.

A lawyer for Murdoch did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.