Former Fox News reporter Jason Donner has filed a lawsuit alleging that he was targeted and fired for pushing back against false claims about the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Donner, who was inside the Capitol during the riot, claims that he was part of a “purge” of employees who refused to only report information that would appease former President Donald Trump and his supporters. The lawsuit, which was moved to federal court on Monday, highlights Donner’s efforts to challenge Fox News’ coverage of the riot.
According to the suit, Donner called the control room after hearing Fox News report that the rioters were “peaceful” and “severely disappointed.” He expressed his concerns, using expletives as he warned, “you’re gonna get us all killed.” Despite his efforts to push back against the network’s false narrative, Donner claims that Fox News managers were more focused on catering to viewers who supported Trump.
As Donner continued to press his complaints about the network’s coverage, he alleges that he was eventually targeted by a manager who accused him of being irresponsible for calling in sick while he was recovering from a COVID-19 vaccine. This led to his termination in 2022. Donner, who was a longtime Republican but recently affiliated with Democrats, believes that he was illegally discriminated against and retaliated against due to his political views.
The lawsuit, initially filed in Washington’s Superior Court on September 27, has since been moved to federal court. A spokesperson for Fox News has not yet provided a comment on the lawsuit. This is not the first legal challenge that Fox News has faced regarding its coverage. The network recently settled a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, paying nearly $800 million to resolve allegations that it knowingly promoted false conspiracy theories about the security of its voting machines. Fox News is also facing another lawsuit from a second voting-machine company.
Furthermore, Fox News paid $12 million to settle with Abby Grossberg, a former producer who claimed that she experienced a discriminatory workplace and was coerced into giving false or misleading testimony in the Dominion suit. Additionally, a former Trump supporter, who became the center of a conspiracy theory about the January 6 riot, has sued the network, alleging that it made him a scapegoat. These legal challenges highlight the ongoing controversies surrounding Fox News and its coverage of significant events.
Original Story at www.ny1.com – 2023-11-14 08:00:00
