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FOX News Fires Anchor Ed Henry for "Willful Sexual Misconduct"

Published Wed, 01 Jul 2020 09:47:55 -0500

by Ray Flook

Last updated Wed, 01 Jul 2020 09:49:34 -0500

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Following his suspension late last week over a complaint received by the network involving "willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago," America's Newsroom anchor Ed Henry was fired from FOX News on Wednesday. Until a permanent replacement anchor is in place, a rotating group of hosts will work alongside the show's co-host, Sandra Smith. First joining the network as its chief White House correspondent in 2011, Henry would go on to serve as the network's chief national correspondent and anchor America's News HQ Weekend before replacing Bill Hemmer in 2019 on the three-hour morning program.

Ed Henry from the CNN days (Image: CNN Screencap)

In a memo sent to all employees, FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and FOX News Media President & Executive Editor Jay Wallace announced the news:

"We would like to bring a very serious matter to your attention in an effort toward full transparency given the many actions we have taken to improve the culture here over the last four years.

On Thursday June 25, we received a complaint about Ed Henry from a former employee's attorney involving willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago. We immediately retained an outside law firm (which has never represented FOX News in investigation or litigation) to independently investigate the claims. Ed was suspended the same day and removed from his on-air responsibility pending investigation. Based on investigating findings, Ed has been terminated.

As all of you know, in 2017 we overhauled our entire Human Resources operation and instituted extensive mandatory annual inclusion and Harassment Prevention training which has since educated our entire workforce. We encourage any employee who has a sexual harassment, discrimination or misconduct complaint of any form to report it immediately"

High-profile attorney Douglas Wigdor, who is representing Henry's accuser, had little to offer on the record regarding the news, saying in a statement that he wasn't "presently at liberty to share further information." Wigdor has represented several women who have filed lawsuits against FOX News in the past. The network's history of sexual abuse allegations includes the 2016 resignation of founder and CEO Roger Ailes over multiple sexual harassment allegations, with network host Bill O'Reilly exiting in 2017 after reports of multiple sexual harassment settlements.

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