Fox News to pay $12 million to settle fired producer Abby Grossberg's lawsuit
- Fox News has agreed to pay $12 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Abby Grossberg, a former producer.
- She had alleged the network coerced her into giving a misleading testimony in the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case.
- Fox settled with Dominion in April, agreeing to pay the company $787.5 million.
Fox News has settled another lawsuit, this time with a one-time producer for former primetime host Tucker Carlson.
The Fox Corp. network agreed to pay $12 million to settle the lawsuit brought by Abby Grossberg, who alleged she was coerced into giving false testimony for the Dominion Voting Systems defamation case.
"While I stand by my publicly filed claims and allegations, in light of today's settlement of $12 million, pursuant to which I have now withdrawn those claims, I am heartened that Fox News has taken me and my legal claims seriously," Grossberg said in a statement Friday. "I am hopeful, based on our discussions with Fox News today, that this resolution represents a positive step by the Network regarding its treatment of women and minorities in the workplace."
Grossberg earlier this year had filed lawsuits against Fox in New York and Delaware, and had also accused the network of discrimination. Grossberg's attorneys had previously said she was fired by Fox in retaliation.
"I stand by and defer to my publicly filed claims and allegations and any public statements I or my attorneys have made concerning my employment at Fox News," Grossberg said in Friday's statement. "I will not make any further remarks concerning my employment at Fox News at this time and ask that you respect my decision."
The producer had worked with Fox hosts Carlson – who was ousted in the wake of Fox's settlement with Dominion – and Maria Bartiromo, and had alleged the network's lawyers coerced and intimidated her into providing misleading testimony in the Dominion lawsuit.
In April, a trial was stopped in its tracks when Fox said it would pay $787.5 million to Dominion to settle a defamation lawsuit over false claims that Dominion's voting machines swayed the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Grossberg had earlier said that she would have voluntarily testified on behalf of Dominion had the trial occurred.
"We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation," a Fox representative said in a statement on Friday.
Fox had earlier denied the claims by Grossberg, and explained its decision to let the producer go:
"Like most organizations, Fox News Media's attorneys engage in privileged communications with our employees as necessary to provide legal advice. Last week, our attorneys advised Ms. Grossberg that, while she was free to file whatever legal claims she wished, she was in possession of our privileged information and was not authorized to disclose it publicly. We were clear that if she violated our instructions, Fox would take appropriate action including termination. Ms. Grossberg ignored these communications and chose to file her complaint without taking any steps to protect those portions containing Fox's privileged information. We will continue to vigorously defend Fox against Ms. Grossberg's unmeritorious legal claims, which are riddled with false allegations against Fox and our employees."