Fox Worker's Suit: Napolitano Harassed Me, Kudlow Uses Slurs

Network says it has 'parted ways' with Napolitano amid new sexual harassment claims
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 3, 2021 7:50 AM CDT
Fox Boots Judge Napolitano Amid Sexual Harassment Suit
Andrew Napolitano is seen during the inaugural broadcast of "Liberty File" on the streaming service Fox Nation, in New York on Nov. 27, 2018.   (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Fox News has dumped legal analyst Andrew Napolitano, on the heels of a lawsuit alleging the former New Jersey Superior Court judge sexually harassed a Fox Business production assistant. Deadline and Adweek report that employee, 27-year-old John Fawcett, filed his complaint against the network in New York on Monday, seeking unspecified damages and accusing Napolitano of not only sexually harassing him in an elevator in 2019, but also of sexually harassing "numerous young male employees" at Fox. Fawcett—who first worked as a PA for Lou Dobbs before Dobbs left the network, then moved over to his current role as an associate producer for Larry Kudlow's Fox Business program—claims he reported Napolitano to Fox's HR department for the alleged behavior, and that "senior executives were aware of Judge Napolitano's serial harassment" but did nothing about it, keeping Napolitano as an on-air regular.

In the elevator incident noted in the suit, Fawcett alleges Napolitano "stood awkwardly close" to him and began "stroking his arm," while peppering their conversation with sexual innuendo and inviting Fawcett to come visit his maple syrup farm. In his suit, Fawcett also mentions sexual misconduct accusations against Napolitano brought by two men not tied to Fox. Kudlow, who served as head of the National Economic Council during the Trump administration, is also cited in the complaint. Fawcett accuses Kudlow of "[using] ethnic slurs and [making] sexually inappropriate comments about women in front of multiple staff members," as well as banning Rep. Byron Donalds, a Black congressman, from appearing on his program due to his race. "The network and Judge Napolitano have since parted ways" after an investigation, Fox noted in a statement. As for Fawcett's allegations against Kudlow, Fox calls them "completely baseless." So far, no comment from Napolitano's camp. (More Andrew Napolitano stories.)

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