Bill O'Reilly Hit With Defamation Lawsuit From Former Fox News Anchor

Former Fox News anchor Laurie Dhue has filed a defamation lawsuit against Bill O’Reilly, claiming that he launched a “smear campaign” against her after a New York Times report revealed last year that she was paid $1 million in a settlement over sexual harassment accusation against him and Roger Ailes.

The lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court states that “O’Reilly published false statements about Dhue — as well as the other women — calling her a liar, swearing that her allegations were fabricated in an effort to obtain a settlement, falsely asserting that her purported claims against O’Reilly were politically motivated, and lying by saying that he only paid settlements to avoid having his family go through litigation, not because he had engaged in the claimed sexual misconduct,” read the suit.

Dhue worked as an anchor for Fox News from 2000 to 2008 and regularly appeared on “The O’Reilly Factor” as a guest.

Also Read: That Time Matt Lauer Grilled Bill O'Reilly About Sexual Harassment

“O’Reilly ensured that these statements were distributed widely, attempting to sacrifice the character reputation of Dhue and the other women mentioned,” the lawsuit continues.

O’Reilly has denied the sexual harassment accusations made against him by Dhue and other women, and called the Times report last April a “malicious smear.”

Also Read: Bill O'Reilly Says 'I Told You Guys' After Report That Lisa Bloom Tried to Pay Trump Accusers

On Thursday, his attorney, Fredric S. Newman, said in a statement to The Hill: “Dhue’s filing has absolutely no merit. Mr. O’Reilly has never mentioned Dhue, and any attention she has received has been the result of her own actions.

“Mr. O’Reilly will defend himself in court fully and aggressively against all unfounded, opportunistic claims, and he will seek all appropriate legal remedies as well.”

Newman did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)

The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
Fox News
Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
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In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
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On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
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Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.