Former Fox News Reporter Claims Targeting and Firing Over Capitol Riot Reporting

Washington — In a recently filed federal lawsuit, former Fox News producer Jason Donner alleges that he was unjustly targeted and fired for challenging false narratives surrounding the riot at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Donner claims to have been part of a group of employees who faced termination due to their refusal to solely report information that would "appease" former President Donald Trump and his supporters. According to the lawsuit, he was inside the Capitol building when the mob of Trump supporters breached its premises. Upon hearing Fox News reporting that the rioters were "peaceful" and "severely disappointed," Donner immediately called the control room to express his concerns, even using expletives as he warned, "you're gonna get us all killed."

Donner also explicitly refuted the claims made in Tucker Carlson's program titled "Patriot Purge," which aired on Fox Nation. The program argued that the events of January 6 were used as a pretext for persecuting conservative Americans. However, according to Donner, Fox News executives were primarily focused on catering to viewers who supported Trump. As Donner continued to voice his objections, he allegedly became the target of a manager who accused him of irresponsibility for taking a sick day while recovering from a COVID-19 vaccine. Subsequently, Donner was terminated from his position in 2022.

Discrimination Lawsuit Against Fox News

Introduction

Lawsuit Details

The lawsuit was initially filed in Washington's Superior Court on September 27 but has since been moved to federal court. Donner seeks unspecified damages for the alleged discriminatory treatment he experienced.

Previous Lawsuits

Earlier this year, Dominion Voting Systems filed a lawsuit against Fox News, accusing the network of knowingly promoting false conspiracy theories about the security of its voting machines. To settle the case, Fox paid an extensive sum amounting to nearly $800 million. Additionally, the network is also facing a lawsuit from another voting-machine company.

Abby Grossberg, a former producer at Fox News, reached a settlement of $12 million with the network. Grossberg claimed she faced a discriminatory workplace environment and alleged that the network coerced her into giving false or misleading testimony in the Dominion suit.

Conspiracy Theory Involving Former Trump Supporter

A former Trump supporter who became the center of a conspiracy theory regarding the events of January 6th has also filed a lawsuit against Fox News. This individual alleges that the network used him as a scapegoat for the riot.

Conclusion

Fox Corporation (FOX) and its parent company, News Corp, share common ownership. As the discrimination lawsuit unfolds, it adds to a series of legal challenges that Fox News has faced recently.