Twitter Blows Up Over Bill O’Reilly’s $32 Million Sexual Harassment Settlement
The New York Times published an absolute bombshell report this afternoon exposing the fact that former Fox News megastar Bill O’Reilly settled a $32 million sexual harassment claim a month before signing a contract extension with Fox News.
According to the report, Fox News knew about the settlement while negotiating the new contract, which was for four years at $25 million annually. It was only after the Times published an expose on O’Reilly’s other sexual harassment settlements in April that the longtime O’Reilly Factor host was pushed out.
As you could imagine with a story like this, there was quite a bit of reaction online. Right off the bat, there was utter shock at the dollar value of the settlement and the fact Fox News still re-signed him:
Bill O'Reilly spent $32,000,000 to settle a sexual harassment complaint with a network analyst and then Fox *renewed his contract.* ? pic.twitter.com/WesbHvV2sv
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) October 21, 2017
"Publicly known harassment settlements involving Mr. O’Reilly have totaled about $45 million."
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 21, 2017
$32 mil is a staggering figure. After the settlement Fox began talks w/O’Reilly to extend his contract W/@emilysteel https://t.co/Hjgd2N92AA
— Michael S. Schmidt (@nytmike) October 21, 2017
A $32 million sexual harassment settlement implies a very dark story. https://t.co/X95o97mPeH
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) October 21, 2017
$32 Million!!! https://t.co/eJem1059Wh
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) October 21, 2017
We also saw some pointing out the irony of Fox News lecturing others over the Harvey Weinstein scandal:
this is the network that has been on its high horse about weinstein for weeks now. https://t.co/rA4qzFPYX9
— Oliver Willis (@owillis) October 21, 2017
The person who took over for O'Reilly said this last week pic.twitter.com/Zi6zjjdQJW
— ?andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) October 21, 2017
O'Reilly sounds a lot like Weinstein pic.twitter.com/nM8nsoL2gO
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) October 21, 2017
Bill O’Reilly has made at least six (6!) settlements to women he sexually harassed. He’s a sexual predator like Weinstein & Trump.
— Touré (@Toure) October 21, 2017
CNN’s Oliver Darcy wanted to remind us about something:
Also let's keep in mind the Murdochs allowed O'Reilly to appear on Fox News last month to hawk his latest book.
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 21, 2017
Most of the reactions were based on the fact that Fox News kept O’Reilly despite knowing about this large settlement:
$32 million to settle one Bill O'Reilly harassment case–& then they extended his contract! Murdochs gonna Murdoch. https://t.co/CeESyJLFE5
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) October 21, 2017
Pretty extraordinary how Fox made a “business decision” to pay $35m and bet the latest claim could stay secret. https://t.co/FXI9UQXSMb
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) October 21, 2017
Happened as Fox trying to convince public & its employees "that it had cleaned up the network’s workplace culture." https://t.co/1RYTA5hBuK
— Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) October 21, 2017
O’Reilly pays a woman 32 MILLION DOLLARS & Fox is like, cool here’s an out in your new deal in case you do it again https://t.co/ffE1WXsOJ1
— Jamie Stelter (@JamieStelter) October 21, 2017
And then there was this:
Never forget. https://t.co/4thl2RLj5w
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) October 21, 2017
never forget https://t.co/ftls8grXTJ
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) October 21, 2017
never forget https://t.co/TQSlxpJdDy
— Kilgore Trout (@KT_So_It_Goes) October 21, 2017
[image via screengrab]
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