Bill O’Reilly calls for ‘loser pays’ law to prevent people from filing sexual harassment lawsuits
His boss has been sued by former news presenter Gretchen Carlson
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fox news host Bill O’Reilly has called for the US to adopt the English legal model of “losers pay” to prevent people from filing “frivolous” sexual harassment lawsuits.
In an interview with Seth Meyers, Mr O’Reilly was referring to the sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former Fox host Gretchen Carlson against the chairman and CEO of Fox, Roger Ailes.
“Until the United States adopts the English system of civil law, whereby if you file a frivolous lawsuit and you lose, the judge has a right to make you pay all court costs - until we adopt that very fair proposition, we’re going to have this out of control, tabloid society that is tremendously destructive,” he said.
“I stand behind Roger 100 per cent.”
Mr Ailes, 76, had been accused by Ms Carlson, who worked at the network for 11 years, as “sexist” and would ogle her, ask her to turn around so he could look at her, and asked her to engage in a sexual relationship to solve their “work-related issues”.
But Mr O’Reilly said “95 per cent” of people who had worked for Mr Ailes would disagree with those statements.
“I’ve worked for Roger Ailes for twenty years, alright? Best boss I’ve ever had. Straight shooter, always honest with me,” he said.
His comments were backed up by Fox News producer Greta Van Susteren, who accused Ms Carlson of being a “disgruntled employee” after the network did not renew her contract and she was terminated in June.
“I've often been alone with Roger Ailes in his office over the course of 15 years and I've never seen anything like what I'm reading about in the papers and the magazine,” she told People.
Mr O'Reilly said that “every famous, powerful or wealthy individual is a target”.
“You’re a target,” he said, pointing at Mr Myers. ”I’m a target. Any time, somebody could come out, and sue us, attack us, go to the press or anything like that.
"And that’s a deplorable situation, because, I mean, I have to have body guards.”
Mr O’Reilly was sued himself for $60 million for sexual harassment by former producer Andrea Mackris who worked with him between 2002 and 2004.
He had been accused of sending lewd messages, and he filed an extortion suit against Ms Mackris.
He later dropped that suit and settled the case for an undisclosed figure.
The O’Reilly Factor host also hit the headlines recently after he lost custody of his children to his ex-wife, whom he was accused of dragging by the neck down the stairs in front of his daughter.
Mr O’Reilly denied the accusations.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments