Fox News host Eric Bolling sues reporter for $50 million over story on lewd texts

[driftdiver]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/08/10/fox-news-host-eric-bolling-sues-reporter-for-50-million-over-story-on-lewd-texts/?utm_term=.2973df24bee0

Fox News host Eric Bolling filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit Wednesday against a freelance journalist who reported that Bolling had sent lewd texts to female colleagues at the network.

Yashar Ali wrote in HuffPost last week that Bolling, co-host of the weekday program “The Fox News Specialists,” had texted an unsolicited photo of male genitalia to at least two co-workers at Fox Business and one at Fox News. Citing a dozen anonymous sources, Ali reported that Bolling had sent the messages several years ago on separate occasions and that four people other than the recipients had seen the photo.

Fox said in a statement on Saturday that it had suspended Bolling from the network “pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway.”

In a summons filed Wednesday in New York state court, Bolling accused Ali of trying to damage his reputation through “highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements about the plaintiff’s conduct and character.”

“As a result of the defendant’s actions, the plaintiff has been substantially harmed,” the summons read.

[driftdiver]

Time to subpoena records from the phone company.

[Bigun]

Hope the suit is a resounding success!

[driftdiver]

Hope the suit is a resounding success!

@Bigun

Many people declared him guilty because of this "I don't remember" response.   Now consider that these txts were allegedly sent several years ago.   If you were asked about a txt that you allegedly sent 3,4 or 5 years ago.  How would you answer?   

Would you say "I don't send those things so I don't recall"  or "I don't remember doing that".    Seems reasonable.   Even if it was actually sent from his phone there really is no way to prove he sent it. 

I wonder how many of those anonymous women will change their story when they are named in a $50 million lawsuit.

[Bigun]

@Bigun

Many people declared him guilty because of this "I don't remember" response.   Now consider that these txts were allegedly sent several years ago.   If you were asked about a txt that you allegedly sent 3,4 or 5 years ago.  How would you answer?   

Would you say "I don't send those things so I don't recall"  or "I don't remember doing that".    Seems reasonable.   Even if it was actually sent from his phone there really is no way to prove he sent it. 

I wonder how many of those anonymous women will change their story when they are named in a $50 million lawsuit.

@driftdiver

I have been saying essentially the same thing from the outset of this episode.  It is quite possible that he left his phone on his desk while he went to the bathroom. I do that all the time. 

At bottom, this ploy has worked for the leftist numerous times in the past (Herman Cain and others) and they will keep right on using it until someone kicks their teeth in over it.  That's why I hope the lawsuit is a resounding success!

[TomSea]

I think he's innocent, this kind of smear goes way back. Believe it or not, even this kind of garbage was tried on Reagan.

[driftdiver]

@driftdiver

I have been saying essentially the same thing from the outset of this episode.  It is quite possible that he left his phone on his desk while he went to the bathroom. I do that all the time. 

At bottom, this ploy has worked for the leftist numerous times in the past (Herman Cain and others) and they will keep right on using it until someone kicks their teeth in over it.  That's why I hope the lawsuit is a resounding success!

@Bigun
Its amazing that those women were so traumatized by the image that they are still upset years later.

OR its simply a hit job.   

[Bigun]

@Bigun
Its amazing that those women were so traumatized by the image that they are still upset years later.

OR its simply a hit job.

@driftdiver

Clearly the latter.

[Oceander]

@driftdiver

I have been saying essentially the same thing from the outset of this episode.  It is quite possible that he left his phone on his desk while he went to the bathroom. I do that all the time. 

At bottom, this ploy has worked for the leftist numerous times in the past (Herman Cain and others) and they will keep right on using it until someone kicks their teeth in over it.  That's why I hope the lawsuit is a resounding success!

So, he just left his phone there for a few minutes and, mirabile dictu, someone was able to take it, guess his passcode, send the texts, and replace the phone exactly where it was before, all without anyone else seeing?

That's a bit of a stretch.

I'm not saying he did what he's been accused of - we'll have to see what the courts say - but I am saying your scenario is a bit far-fetched. If they came from his phone, odds are they came from him. 

[driftdiver]

So, he just left his phone there for a few minutes and, mirabile dictu, someone was able to take it, guess his passcode, send the texts, and replace the phone exactly where it was before, all without anyone else seeing?

That's a bit of a stretch.

I'm not saying he did what he's been accused of - we'll have to see what the courts say - but I am saying your scenario is a bit far-fetched. If they came from his phone, odds are they came from him.

@Oceander
Actually it happens all the time.   I know companies where people catch a coworker leaving  their PC unlocked and will send embarrassing emails to the CEO.    And who really remembers "exactly" where you left your cell phone and how you left it sitting.  Heck there are times where I call my cell phone just to find it.

Now if I hated conservatives I might do something like this to get them in trouble.

Or I might lie about the entire thing because, really who is gonna check.

[Oceander]

@Oceander
Actually it happens all the time.   I know companies where people catch a coworker leaving  their PC unlocked and will send embarrassing emails to the CEO.    And who really remembers "exactly" where you left your cell phone and how you left it sitting.  Heck there are times where I call my cell phone just to find it.

Now if I hated conservatives I might do something like this to get them in trouble.

Or I might lie about the entire thing because, really who is gonna check.

Highly unlikely to happen with a phone.    Phones don't generally sit unlocked for very long if they're not actively being used.  5 seconds or so, perhaps.    It is not like a desktop computer that stays open for a long time before it locks (or else stays open permanently).

[Bigun]

So, he just left his phone there for a few minutes and, mirabile dictu, someone was able to take it, guess his passcode, send the texts, and replace the phone exactly where it was before, all without anyone else seeing?

That's a bit of a stretch.

I'm not saying he did what he's been accused of - we'll have to see what the courts say - but I am saying your scenario is a bit far-fetched. If they came from his phone, odds are they came from him.

MY phone doesn't have a passcode by my on choice! I strongly suspect there are millions more!
 

[starstruck]

Highly unlikely to happen with a phone.    Phones don't generally sit unlocked for very long if they're not actively being used.  5 seconds or so, perhaps.    It is not like a desktop computer that stays open for a long time before it locks (or else stays open permanently).

My phone has a touch screen where you draw a pattern with you finger to access it. It has a plastic screen guard. Over time the oil off your finger shows the pattern in the right light.

[truth_seeker]

MY phone doesn't have a passcode by my on choice! I strongly suspect there are millions more!
 

Nor does my phone have a passcode.

[anubias]

Highly unlikely to happen with a phone.    Phones don't generally sit unlocked for very long if they're not actively being used.  5 seconds or so, perhaps.    It is not like a desktop computer that stays open for a long time before it locks (or else stays open permanently).

Malarkey.

This happened several years ago, before fingerprint detection.  Most people back then did not use the passcode function.  I know this for a fact. 

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

@Bigun

Many people declared him guilty because of this "I don't remember" response.   Now consider that these txts were allegedly sent several years ago.   If you were asked about a txt that you allegedly sent 3,4 or 5 years ago.  How would you answer?   

Would you say "I don't send those things so I don't recall"  or "I don't remember doing that".    Seems reasonable.   Even if it was actually sent from his phone there really is no way to prove he sent it. 

I wonder how many of those anonymous women will change their story when they are named in a $50 million lawsuit.

I... sort of agree with you. I'm on the fence.

To me saying "I don't remember" is an odd way to respond to such an ugly allegation I will say.

[driftdiver]

I... sort of agree with you. I'm on the fence.

To me saying "I don't remember" is an odd way to respond to such an ugly allegation I will say.

@Weird Tolkienish Figure
Agreed, it is strange.   I've worked some with media folks and its a different type of environment.  Much less formal.   Some environments allow this type of behavior.  Heck some companies have happy hours during the work day.   

[dfwgator]

@Weird Tolkienish Figure
Agreed, it is strange.   I've worked some with media folks and its a different type of environment.  Much less formal.   Some environments allow this type of behavior.  Heck some companies have happy hours during the work day.

Probably resembled the office environment in "The Wolf of Wall Street."

[driftdiver]

Probably resembled the office environment in "The Wolf of Wall Street."

I've decided I'm going to bring a bottle of scotch into my office.  screw it

[Wingnut]

@Oceander
Actually it happens all the time.   I know companies where people catch a coworker leaving  their PC unlocked and will send embarrassing emails to the CEO. 

We worked with this one weasle who was the office rat and all around general douchecanoe....  On more than one occasion... for some unknown reason gay porn attachments were included in replies to others from his company pc.   

[RoosGirl]

@Bigun
Its amazing that those women were so traumatized by the image that they are still upset years later.

OR its simply a hit job.

This many years later, of course it's a hit job.  It's ridiculous to bring it up now and we all know why it's being brought up now.  That doesn't excuse him if he *actually* did it.  Assuming that he did send the pictures, and I have a hard time believing he didn't with the lame ass answers he's given like he doesn't remember doing it, if he worked for my company I would at least put a reprimand in his file, but given the length of time between the complaint and when the pics were sent I wouldn't fire him or ask him to resign.

I wonder what the angle on this lawsuit is though.  It doesn't jibe with the "I don't remember" excuse.

[RoosGirl]

We worked with this one weasle who was the office rat and all around general douchecanoe....  On more than one occasion... for some unknown reason gay porn attachments were included in replies to others from his company pc.   

I walked in on one of our CAD guys watching porn twice and another woman in the office walked in on him watching it once.  My boss, the owner of the company, was informed on all three occasion and he still wouldn't fire the guy.  But, he did at least tell the guy that if he was caught again he would be.  I thought it left my boss in a bad position as far as potential lawsuit went.

[driftdiver]

This many years later, of course it's a hit job.  It's ridiculous to bring it up now and we all know why it's being brought up now.  That doesn't excuse him if he *actually* did it.  Assuming that he did send the pictures, and I have a hard time believing he didn't with the lame ass answers he's given like he doesn't remember doing it, if he worked for my company I would at least put a reprimand in his file, but given the length of time between the complaint and when the pics were sent I wouldn't fire him or ask him to resign.

I wonder what the angle on this lawsuit is though.  It doesn't jibe with the "I don't remember" excuse.

The angle on the lawsuit is 'prove it' or pay a lot of money.

[RoosGirl]

The angle on the lawsuit is 'prove it' or pay a lot of money.

Yes yes.  I just would have assumed that anyone making the claim would have the proof.  Plus, I figured that the phone records could be pulled.  Of course, you could never prove that someone had control of their own phone at all times.

[Oceander]

Actually, phones have had passcodes for years now, and actually, your personal anecdotal practice does not prove what even a minority of the overall American phone-owning public does. 

My phones have always had passcodes once I got one that had it enabled.