Scoop: Newsmax Benched Ed Henry From Trump-Biden Debate Coverage After Report on HR Complaint
AP Photo/Richard Drew
Newsmax benched anchor Ed Henry from its coverage of the Trump-Biden debate in the wake of a Mediaite report unveiling a human resources complaint against the cable news veteran.
The complaint, which was made in 2022 by a young female staffer who worked with Henry at far-right network Real America’s Voice, alleged the anchor sent sexually explicit memes and made inappropriate comments to the staffer. Henry’s attorney denied the allegations, calling them false in a statement. In 2023, Henry decamped from RAV to Newsmax, where he now serves as an anchor.
Multiple sources told Mediaite that Henry was slated to co-host post-debate coverage on Thursday night for the MAGA-friendly network — until Newsmax executives decided to pull Henry over the report on the complaint.
According to a Newsmax source, Henry was already in New York when he was alerted on Wednesday that his hosting duties were yanked.
Several sources at the network said a Newsmax host who was set to co-host coverage with Henry, Jenn Pellegrino, was also benched on Thursday night in order to cover up Henry’s absence and have it appear like an overall programming decision as opposed to fallout from the HR complaint. Pellegrino was set to travel to Newsmax’s studios in New York for the debate coverage then she was told it was not necessary for her to come to Manhattan; a plan that was in place for weeks, according to sources.
As of Thursday late afternoon, Pellegrino was listed as one of the post-debate hosts, but the site was updated by 5 p.m. to list only Rob Schmitt and Mercedes Schlapp.
One Newsmax insider expressed dismay that Pellegrino was dropped from coverage: “It’s absolutely disgusting that a female co-host would be punished for the sins of Ed Henry but that is clearly what happened. I’ve seen internal emails proving that is exactly what happened. Unfortunately, it’s a pattern at Newsmax. They don’t seem to understand that they can’t treat employees with such disregard just so the CEO can play Frat House President”.
“Pulling Ed Henry is quite telling,” another Newsmax insider said. “Newsmax usually pays no regard to these things, but they’re in scramble mode in every direction right now. They know they’re in trouble. They’re drowning financially. I don’t think they want any more bad publicity when they’re relying on viewers to bail them out of their financial struggles. Newsmax is like the Titanic. It’s sinking fast.”
Newsmax announced in June that they plan to raise $225 million from investors in anticipation of an IPO. The company is relying on viewers to help raise the funds. “Now more than ever, especially in this election year of 2024, America needs Newsmax and you can join with us as an investor,” Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy said in a press release.
Henry is featured prominently in the promotional material for the IPO, alongside the likes of Greta Van Susteren.
The IPO comes at a perilous time for Newsmax. The network lost $42 million last year and faces significant legal threats, including two major defamation cases over its coverage of the 2020 election. Newsmax did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Henry’s cable news career has been plagued with controversy.
In 2016, he took a leave of absence for four months from Fox News, where he served as an anchor and chief White House correspondent, over an extramarital affair with a stripper in Las Vegas. He was fired from the network in 2020 after Jennifer Eckhart, a former Fox News producer, accused him of misconduct. She filed a lawsuit accusing Henry of rape, which is currently in litigation. Henry has denied her claims against him. In 2023, Henry reached a plea deal after being arrested for a DUI.
