A few days ago, Fox News fired longtime executive John Finley after an investigation into his business conduct with the network. Mediaite reports, citing sources, that his dismissal was due to a woman claiming he sexually harassed and stalked her.
Mediaite notes that the woman was not an employee of FOX. However, she worked on projects for FOX Nation, as Finley previously oversaw the streaming service. Someone close to the situation told the outlet that the woman alleged that Finley “stalked her relentlessly and would not stop texting her.”
The woman “kept rebuffing him,” the source told Mediaite, but Finley followed “a relentless pattern of sexual harassment and quid pro quo. I can get you this job if you — incredible opportunities. If she went into New York and didn’t see him? Temper tantrums.”
According to a FOX News spokesperson, Finley was terminated from FOX for violating their business conduct policies instead of sexual harassment.
Some breaches include conflicts of interest, improper use of a position to benefit someone with influence, and business ethics violations. Furthermore, numerous sources who worked with Finley claim the veteran executive sought romantic relationships with subordinates during his time at Fox News.
Despite these allegations, Finley’s lawyer did provide a statement to Mediaite to add to their reporting.
“Mr. Finley wants us to convey that he vigorously denies all of the allegations that were contained in the text that you sent, and this is an attempt to defame Mr. Finley and that he intends to pursue all of his legal remedies at this time,” Erin Kormann, a lawyer for Finley, said.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
