American presenter Tucker Carlson has accused Fox News of fraud and breach of contract, according to sources familiar with the case. It is reported that the host of Fox News’ highest-rated program is considering legal action against the network after it announced that it would be relaunching his show on Twitter. The journalist’s lawyers’ letter argues that Fox employees, including Rupert Murdoch, chairman of the network’s parent company, broke promises made to the reporter “intentionally and with reckless disregard for the truth,” which they classify as fraud.
The letter also alleges that Fox violated an agreement established with Carlson not to leak his private communications to the media and not to use personal messages “to take any unfavorable job action against him.” Additionally, they claim that the network reneged on its promises not to make any deals with Dominion Voting Systems “in a way that could indicate irregularities” on Carlson’s part and not to take any action in an agreement that would damage his reputation. Carlson’s departure came a week after the channel reached a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, which accused the network of spreading false claims about President Donald Trump regarding alleged fraud in the 2020 election.
Carlson has justified the move of his show to Twitter because he believes it is the last major platform left in the world where free speech is allowed, arguing that it is not a partisan site. While technically it could violate Carlson’s contract with Fox, which runs until January 2025, and the network wants to continue paying him, thus preventing him from starting a program on the competition, the journalist’s lawyers’ letter explains that the US network violated the contract first and the non-compete clause is no longer valid, giving him the green light to launch his own program or media company.
The journalist’s lawyers sent the letter before the announcement of the new program on Twitter. Carlson worked at CNN and MSNBC before joining Fox News in 2009, and since then he has headed his own program, “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Monday, May 29, 2023