President Trump repudiated onetime campaign chief and senior strategist Steve Bannonafter a new book surfaced that quotes him making scathing criticisms of presidential advisers and family members. Mr. Bannon called a June 2016 meeting between top Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer “treasonous” and said aides’ missteps could lead to legal jeopardy for the president. Mr. Trump responded that Mr. Bannon “has nothing to do with me or my Presidency” and “has lost his mind.” Late Wednesday, an attorney for the president and the Trump campaign sent Mr. Bannon a letter demanding he cease disparaging statements, saying they violate the terms of his employment agreement with the campaign.
Bill O’Reilly sued by woman who says he violated terms of settlement in a harassment case
Her attorneys said in the lawsuit that O’Reilly and the network violated non-disparagement and confidentiality clauses in their 2002 settlement agreement with Bernstein, which stated that if asked about the case, they “may say only ‘The matter has been resolved (or settled)’, without elaboration.”
“But he’s gone far beyond that and painted our client in a terrible light,” one of her attorneys, Neil Mullin, told The Washington Post.
.. “She did go to HR and other company executives to complain about him several times. Fox News took no action to protect plaintiff from O’Reilly. There were many witnesses to her mistreatment. She was not politically or financially motivated to raise the claims of abuse.”
Mullin said O’Reilly’s comments not only violated their 2002 settlement agreement but also illustrate a broader issue, in which powerful men who are exposed as harassers attempt to discredit their victims.
“The reason women don’t come out is because there’s a pattern of these men lashing out,” Mullin said.
Mullin said O’Reilly and Fox News have made “false and disparaging claims” against women who had to sign nondisclosure agreements, adding that the women should be released from those agreements.
“It is cowardly to publicly attack these women knowing they have been subjected to contractual provisions requiring absolute silence,” he said.
.. O’Reilly’s attorney, Fredric S. Newman, said in a statement that “Bill O’Reilly has never mentioned the plaintiff’s name publicly in any context.”
.. In a statement, Mr. O’Reilly suggested that his prominence made him a target.
“Just like other prominent and controversial people,” the statement read, “I’m vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity. In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline.
“But most importantly, I’m a father who cares deeply for my children and who would do anything to avoid hurting them in any way. And so I have put to rest any controversies to spare my children.
“The worst part of my job is being a target for those who would harm me and my employer, the Fox News Channel. Those of us in the arena are constantly at risk, as are our families and children. My primary efforts will continue to be to put forth an honest TV program and to protect those close to me.”
.. In interviews and statements following the story, O’Reilly further denied the allegations.
.. In September, he appeared on the “Today” show, saying that in 42 years in the business, “not one time, did I have any interaction with HR, any complaints filed against me.”
Ryan Costello Discusses “Me Too” Congressional Act with Laura Ingraham
Congressman, I know you didn’t write the rules, Grassley did back in ’95, and I like Senator Grassley. I think he’s done a phenomenal job on most issues, but are you going to say tonight that you will fight for removal of mandatory counseling and a confidentiality provision in any future legislation?
.. Rep. Costello: The legislation that I have would remove the mandatory counseling. It would also make a Member of Congress personally liable if they engaged in this type of behavior.
Laura Ingraham: What about the names? What about the names? You guys get to keep secrets or do we know who you are? Not you, but you know what I’m saying.
Rep. Costello: The name of the Member of Congress or if it were someone on their staff would be included – that would have to be reported within 60 days of the end of the year. There would also be a survey done every year so that you have staff conveying what they feel the culture is on Capitol Hill.
‘Me Too’ Legislation Aims To Combat Sexual Harassment In Congress
Their proposal would overhaul the process for filing harassment claims as laid out under the 1995 Congressional Accountability Act and processed under the Office of Compliance. The bill would:
- Waive 30-day requirements each for counseling and mediation sessions before a formal complaint can be filed
- Create a new, optional in-house victims’ counsel position to provide legal advice and representation for complainants
- Eliminate requirements that complainants to sign nondisclosure agreements as a condition for filing a complaint, although nondisclosures are still allowed as part of a negotiated settlement
- Create an online system to initiate complaints
- Require lawmakers to pay out of pocket for any settled claim where they are identified as the harasser. Other claims are still paid for by taxpayers
- Require public disclosure of the employing office when a claim is settled and to disclose the settlement amount
- Require an anonymous “climate survey” of congressional employees every two years
- Extend all employer protections to interns, fellows and pages
.. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., another cosponsor, said he believed lawmakers would support more transparency for settled claims. “We are employers,” he said, “so how we would process that, how we would handle an employee if they were mistreated, or they did raise a concern, speaks to the character and integrity of how we operate our offices.”
Speier said it was unlikely Congress would act on this legislation this year because the legislative calendar is already crowded through December. However, she noted party leaders have so far been receptive to efforts to make improvements to Capitol Hill culture in response to the recent wave of of high-profile sexual harassment and assault allegations in the news.