An attorney for Gretchen Carlson and Julie Roginsky, two high-profile women who sued Fox News over sexual harassment accusations, mocked the White House’s hiring of former Fox News co-president Bill Shine.
“Bill Shine is the perfect person for the job of protecting a sexual abuser and liar,” Nancy Erika Smith told TheWrap on Thursday, referring to President Trump.
Trump tapped Shine on Thursday to serve as an assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for communications.
“He brings over two decades of television programming, communications, and management experience to the role,” the White House said in a brief statement announcing Shine’s appointment.
Shine’s tenure at Fox News was marred by allegations that he helped hide and facilitate sexual harassment by the network’s longtime president, Roger Ailes. Both Shine and Ailes were named in a lawsuit brought by Roginsky and Smith last April.
The suit argued that the pair “unlawfully harassed, discriminated against, and retaliated against Roginsky and sabotaged her career,” while she worked at the network.
After Ailes was forced out with a $40 million golden parachute in July 2016, Shine briefly served as co-president alongside Jack Abernethy. His time at the top, however, was short-lived and questions surrounding his complicity with Ailes led to his departure from Fox a month after the Roginsky lawsuit was filed.
Roginsky settled with Fox News for an undisclosed amount. Carlson received $20 million after suing Ailes.
The sharp words from Smith contrast sharply with the relatively muted response online from her clients. Roginsky declined to comment for this article, but did post a cryptic tweet.
“Life works in mysterious way. But to quote a famous saying, the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice,” she said.
Life works in mysterious way. But to quote a famous saying, the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.
— Julie Roginsky (@julieroginsky) July 5, 2018
A spokesperson for Gretchen Carlson directed TheWrap to her tweets on the matter.
“This …. on the 2 year anniversary eve of filing my harassment lawsuit; giving women a voice, letting them know you can be believed, launching a national movement to stand up and speak up and say enough is enough,” said Carlson. “Life … works in mysterious ways. #BeFierce”
This …. on the 2 year anniversary eve of filing my harassment lawsuit; giving women a voice, letting them know you can be believed, launching a national movement to stand up and speak up and say enough is enough. Life … works in mysterious ways. #BeFierce https://t.co/Sc5bBVB2xL
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) July 5, 2018