You wondered who set Trump’s standards
❝ Fox News is in a jam this week as major automakers and smaller outfits pull their ads from the network’s popular “O’Reilly Factor” show, following a series of sexual harassment claims against host Bill O’Reilly.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi all yanked their ads after a New York Times investigation that surfaced five sexual harassment cases against the political pundit.
They were joined Tuesday by pharmaceutical makers GlaxoSmithKline and Bayer, Sanofi Consumer Care, insurer Allstate, asset management firm T. Rowe Price, and personal finance company Credit Karma.
❝ Orkin, a pest control company, and Untuckit, a men’s clothing line, and Constant Contact, an email marketer, and Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, the parent company of the Rachel Ray-endorsed dog food brand Nutrish, also announced they were pulling ads.
In total, at least 15 advertisers have so far withdrawn support…
❝ Mercedes-Benz said in an emailed statement that its advertising on the show “has been reassigned in the midst of this controversy.”
“The allegations are disturbing and, given the importance of women in every aspect of our business, we don’t feel this is a good environment in which to advertise our products right now,” added spokeswoman Donna Boland…
❝ The Times reported that the five women have received settlement payments totaling $13 million from either Fox or O’Reilly himself.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy…or a crappier network.
Federal prosecutors in New York are investigating whether Fox hid the harassment allegations from shareholders; Donald Trump abruptly fired New York attorney general Preet Bharara during the probe ( https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/12/nyregion/preet-bharara-politics-us-attorney.html ), and is reportedly considering replacing Bharara with Marc Mukasey, Roger Ailes’ personal lawyer. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/03/winner-in-trumps-decision-to-fire-bharara-might-be-murdoch.html
Preet Bharara on why he was fired: ‘Beats the hell out of me.’ (Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/04/06/preet-bharara-on-why-he-was-fired-beats-the-hell-out-of-me/ See also “My firing was deliberate decision: Preet Bharara” (The India Express) http://indianexpress.com/article/world/my-firing-was-deliberate-decision-preet-bharara-4603144/
President Donald Trump defends Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly amid revelations that O’Reilly and the network paid out millions to settle sexual harassment claims by five women. “I think he shouldn’t have settled; personally I think he shouldn’t have settled,” Trump told the New York Times on Wednesday. “Because you should have taken it all the way. I don’t think Bill did anything wrong,” he said. “I think he’s a person I know well — he is a good person,” he said.
The comments came days after the president proclaimed this month as “National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month” where he said “we must develop meaningful strategies to eliminate these crimes” and “protect vulnerable groups.” https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/us/politics/trump-interview-susan-rice.html
While campaigning, Trump himself became embroiled in a similar controversy when over a dozen women came forward alleging he sexually assaulted them. http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/trump-threatens-sue-accusers-lays-out-plan-first-100-days-n671216 The president also came under fire amid the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, where he’s heard boasting about assaulting women. https://www.rawstory.com/2017/04/right-wing-preacher-justifies-trumps-access-hollywood-tape-as-gods-work/
“Nearly 50 Advertisers Have Ditched Bill O’Reilly. But Will It Be Enough To End His Show?” https://www.buzzfeed.com/briannasacks/advertisers-are-revolting-against-bill-oreilly-but-it-might?utm_term=.qax9LDv9N#.sbeARPnAL
Fox News has decided to oust top-rated host Bill O’Reilly, New York Magazine’s Gabriel Sherman reported Wednesday. Top network execs are in talks about how to end their relationship with O’Reilly “without causing collateral damage to the network,” the report said, adding that 21st Century Fox’s board is set to meet Thursday about it. The Drudge Report is linking to the story, an apparent wink of confirmation given proprietor Matt Drudge’s connections to Fox News. http://thehill.com/media/329482-report-fox-news-to-oust-oreilly
Re: Tucker Carlson http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/04/10/tucker-carlsons-fighting-words
21st Century Fox issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming that primetime host Bill O’Reilly won’t be returning to to Fox News. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/19/business/media/bill-oreilly-fox-news-allegations.html “Bill O’Reilly has been subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America,” said his attorney Marc Kasowitz in a statement released Tuesday night.
“This law firm has uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by far-left organizations bent on destroying O’Reilly for political and financial reasons. That evidence will be put forth shortly and it is irrefutable.” One of Marc Kasowitz’s clients is President Donald Trump, another is Russia’s largest state-run bank. Also his former partner David Friedman Is now the U.S. Ambassador to Israel http://heavy.com/news/2017/04/marc-e-kasowitz-attorney-lawyer-bill-o-reilly-donald-trump/