In a lawsuit, a former Fox News reporter alleged that he was wrongfully targeted and terminated for objecting to false claims about the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
The suit, filed in federal court on Monday by producer Jason Donner, contends that he was among the employees who were removed for refusing to only present information that would appease former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Donner, who was present inside the Capitol during the breach by Trump supporters, objected to Fox News’ reporting that characterized the rioters as “peaceful” and “severely disappointed,” expressing his concerns to the control room and warning of potential danger.
A Fox News spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Donner also disputed the claims made in Tucker Carlson’s “Patriot Purge,” a program on the Fox Nation streaming service that argued Jan. 6 was utilized as a pretext for the persecution of conservative Americans.
According to the lawsuit, Fox managers were focused on catering to viewers who supported Trump, and as Donner continued to voice his objections, he was eventually singled out by a manager who accused him of being irresponsible for calling in sick once while recovering from a COVID-19 vaccine. He was subsequently terminated in 2022.
Donner, a former Republican who has recently aligned with Democrats, alleged that he faced illegal discrimination and retaliation due to his political views. He is seeking unspecified damages.
The lawsuit was initially filed in Washington’s Superior Court on Sept. 27 and later transferred to federal court.
Fox also settled a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for nearly $800 million this year, addressing allegations that the network knowingly promoted false conspiracy theories about the security of its voting machines. Additionally, the network is facing a lawsuit from a second voting-machine company.
The network also reached a $12 million settlement with Abby Grossberg, another former producer, who claimed that she experienced a discriminatory workplace and was coerced into offering false or misleading testimony in the Dominion suit.
