Former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly dismissed as "lies and smear" the details in a New York Times report saying 21st Century Fox had signed O'Reilly to a contract extension months after O'Reilly reached a $32 million sexual harassment settlement with longtime network analyst Lis Wiehl.
The settlement, revealed by the Times in an article Saturday, was one of several such deals involving O'Reilly. The controversial commentator was re-upped in February only to be dismissed by Fox in April after the Times reported on some of them.
O'Reilly was combative and unapologetic on Twitter, according to USAToday.
My investigative team has done a superb job in exposing the lies and smear. I will speak with you on Monday.— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) October 21, 2017
He also posted a statement from spokesman Mark Fabiani saying the Times "once again... maliciously smeared Bill O’Reilly, this time even failing to print a sworn affidavit from his former lawyer, Lis Wiehl, repudiating all allegations."
Fabiani accused the Times of ignoring sworn evidence in favor of "unsubstantiated allegations, anonymous sources and incomplete leaked or stolen documents."
The Times quickly rejected Fabiani's claims. Reporter Michael S. Schmidt, who wrote the story with Emily Steel, tweeted that O'Reilly "falsely says our story didn’t mention affidavit Lise Wiehl signed" and showing two such mentions in the article.
.@BillOReilly’s statement falsely says our story didn’t mention affidavit Lise Wiehl signed. Here are both references cc:@markfabiani pic.twitter.com/Vs4pskUoc9— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) October 21, 2017
Previous harassment settlements involving O'Reilly total at least $45 million, the Times claimed. O'Reilly told the Times the allegations were politically and financially motivated and that he "never mistreated anyone."
Fabiani accused the Times of printing leaked information that was "out of context, false, defamatory, and obviously designed to embarrass Bill O'Reilly and to keep him from competing in the marketplace."
Fox News ousted chairman Roger Ailes last year amid his own sexual harassment scandal. Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News host, filed the bombshell lawsuit against Ailes that ignited a broad discussion into sexual harassment and corporate culture.
Carlson weighed in on the latest O'Reilly settlement on Twitter:
Nobody pays $32m for false allegations - nobody https://t.co/qB3njcHHuy— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 21, 2017
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