NEW YORK ¨C Bill O¡¯Reilly, forced out at Fox News over allegations of sexual harassment, has said no one ever filed a complaint about his behavior with human resources or the legal department in the 20 years he was at the network.
That doesn¡¯t mean top executives weren¡¯t warned, former colleague Megyn Kelly said Monday.
Kelly, speaking on NBC¡¯s ¡°Today¡± show, detailed an email she sent to Bill Shine and Jack Abernathy, then co-presidents of Fox News, in November 2016 that called attention to O¡¯Reilly¡¯s alleged ¡°history of harassment of women.¡± Kelly left the network in January and now works for NBC.
¡°O¡¯Reilly¡¯s suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false,¡± Kelly said in the TV segment.
O¡¯Reilly¡¯s comment was in response to a New York Times article Sunday that said the network had renewed his contract earlier this year even after learning he had reached a settlement with an accuser. And 21st Century Fox Inc., the parent of Fox News, told the newspaper it wasn¡¯t aware that O¡¯Reilly had agreed to pay the woman $32 million in the settlement. Fox parted ways with O¡¯Reilly in April.
A spokesman for O¡¯Reilly, Mark Fabiani, offered no direct response to Kelly¡¯s statements but sent copies of thank-you notes she had written to O¡¯Reilly for mentioning her husband¡¯s book on air and for a baby shower gift.
The company said in an email ¡°21st Century Fox has taken concerted action to transform Fox News, including installing new leaders, overhauling management and on-air talent, expanding training, and increasing the channels through which employees can report harassment or discrimination.¡±
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