McHenry v. Fox News Network, LLC

510 F.Supp.3d 51

Brittany MCHENRY, Plaintiff,

v.FOX NEWS NETWORK, LLC ; Fox Corporation; George Murdoch (a/k/a "Tyrus"); Jennifer Rauchet; John Finley; and Monica Mekeel, Defendants.

19 Civ. 11294 (PAE)

United States District Court, S.D. New York.

Signed December 18, 2020

Anna Levine-Gronningsater, The Bloom Firm, Sarah Bloom, California, Woodland Hills, CA, Arick W. Fudali, The Bloom Firm, New York, NY, for Plaintiff.

Matthew Willis Lampe, Kristina Ann Yost, Maryssa Alexa Mataras, Jones Day, New York, NY, for Defendants Fox News Networks, LLC, FOX Corporation, Jennifer Rauchet, John Finley, Monica Mekeel.

Thomas Clare, Ariel Victoria Lieberman, Clare Locke LLP, Alexandria, VA, for Defendant George Murdoch.

OPINION & ORDER

PAUL A. ENGELMAYER, District Judge:

This case involves claims of sexual harassment brought by a television personality. Plaintiff Brittany McHenry ("McHenry") alleges that, while employed as such on a Fox News Network, LLC ("Fox News") show, she was subjected to sexual harassment by her co-host, George Murdoch ("Murdoch"). She further alleges that as a result of reporting this harassment, she was subjected to retaliation by Fox News, its parent corporation, Fox Corporation ("Fox Corp."), and Murdoch. McHenry brings claims of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation under the New York State Human Rights Law, New York State Executive Law § 296 et seq. ("NYSHRL") and the New York City Human Rights Law, New York City Administrative Code § 8-502(a) et seq. ("NYCHRL"). McHenry further alleges that three officials at Fox News Channel—John Finley ("Finley"), a Vice President; Monika Mekeel ("Mekeel"), a Human Resources representative; and Jennifer Rauchet ("Rauchet"), an executive producer—aided and abetted the sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

Fox News has not moved to dismiss the claims against it. But the Court has received two such motions: one from Fox Corp., Finley, Mekeel, and Rauchet; and the other from Murdoch. For the following reasons, the Court grants the motion to dismiss the claims against Fox Corp., Finley, and Mekeel; grants in part and denies in part the motion to dismiss the claims against Rauchet; and denies in its entirety Murdoch's motion to dismiss.

I. Background

A. Factual Background¹

McHenry is an on-air reporter who, in August 2017, made her first appearance on a Fox News program, Tucker Carlson Tonight. Am. Compl. ¶ 62. McHenry later made regular appearances on other Fox News programs, including Fox and Friends and Watters’ World. Id. In March 2018, WTTG, a Fox News affiliate, hired McHenry to co-host Like It or Not , a news show focused on current events. Id. ¶ 63.

On or about July 18, 2018, Fox News hired McHenry to co-host Un-PC , a political entertainment talk show, with Murdoch, a former professional wrestler who currently hosts his own show on Fox Nation, Nuff Said. Id. ¶¶ 9, 64. The Amended Complaint alleges, on information and belief, that Fox Corp., as Fox News's parent, made the ultimate decision to hire McHenry. Id. ¶ 64. The Amended Complaint alleges that Fox Corp. is the parent company and sole member of Fox News, which operates Fox News Channel and Fox Nation. Id. ¶¶ 6–7. The Amended Complaint further alleges that Fox Corp. and Fox News are a "single employer" of McHenry because "all significant decisions made by Fox News[ ] need to be approved by Fox Corp[.]" Id. ¶¶ 7–8. The Amended Complaint further alleges that: (1) Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott reports to Fox Corp. CEO and Executive Chairman Lachlan Murdoch; (2) Fox Corp. "makes hiring and firing decision for Fox News"; (3) Fox Corp.’s Human Resources "investigates complaints made by Fox News" employees; (4) Fox Corp. "establishes the operating and management practices for employees at Fox News"; (5) certain Fox Corp. employees "performed job duties for both Fox Corp[.] and Fox News"; and (6) Fox Corp. "controls the discipline, pay, insurance, records, and supervision of Fox News" employees. Id. ¶ 7.

Between September 2018 and April 2019, McHenry hosted Un-PC with Murdoch. Id. ¶ 9. She first met Murdoch in August 2018 and began having weekly rehearsals with him in September 2018. Id. ¶ 65. Soon after, McHenry became aware of Murdoch's "volatile, and at times disturbing relationships with others, especially with women." Id. ¶ 66. Murdoch told McHenry that his girlfriend was jealous of McHenry and had sent her (and subsequently deleted) a threatening message on Instagram. Id. ¶ 67. Murdoch also told McHenry that the mother of one of his children had accused him of abusing drugs and threatening her and her children. Id. ¶ 68. This made McHenry feel that she "need[ed] to be careful" around Murdoch. Id.

At an unspecified time, Murdoch began "making sexual advances to Ms. McHenry and making sexually harassing comments to her," and "sending her inappropriate text messages." Id. ¶ 71. At no time did McHenry consent to receiving sexual messages or to Murdoch's sexual advances. Id. ¶ 82. On October 31, 2018, Murdoch texted McHenry, "I love pony tails and braids you look amazing and it's a real turn on not that you care but I love it[.]" Id. ¶ 72. On November 2, 2018, Murdoch texted McHenry: "I love your legs"; "Fuck them your beautiful I love that picture"; "Is it creepy how I look at you???"; "FYI you'll need those legs to escape from me in Montana"; and "I please especially on your knees hotness[.]" Id. ¶ 73. On November 5, 2018, Murdoch texted McHenry: "I'll show you what it mean to be bad Brittany Mc Henry"; and "Dick pic coming in 5 sec!!!!" Id. ¶ 74.

McHenry maintained a "friendly relationship" with Murdoch and "at one point thought that they were becoming good friends." Id. ¶ 75. McHenry did not want to upset Murdoch "out of fear of his volatile tendencies" and so as not to impact the show. Id. Accordingly, McHenry "politely" replied to Murdoch's messages with "friendly but non-sexual responses." Id. McHenry never sent Murdoch any sexual messages. Id.

On or about November 6, 2018, following a taping of Un-PC , McHenry and Murdoch had dinner together in Times Square, during which Murdoch "drank alcohol excessively." Id. ¶ 76. On the way back to the hotel, Murdoch grabbed McHenry's hand and "held it in an aggressive and overtly sexualized manner." Id. McHenry did not want to upset Murdoch but was able to take her hand away within a minute. Id. When McHenry and Murdoch arrived at the hotel, she left Murdoch in the lobby with the doorman and "rushed" back to her room. Id.

After this incident, Murdoch "continued to sexually harass Ms. McHenry by making sexually inappropriate comments to her in person and via text message." Id. ¶ 77. On November 17, 2018, Murdoch texted McHenry: "The picture looks so good I would knock the picture up .... crazy sexy love your legs[.]" Id. ¶ 78. On November 18, 2018, Murdoch texted: "I love the fact your always working if we ever had sex I feel like after an orgazzum you say speaking of feeling good did see the story on the puppy rescue we should do a segment on it hand me my phone[.]" Id. ¶ 79. On December 10, 2018, Murdoch texted McHenry: "Keep being negative and I'll send you another dick pic[.]" Id. ¶ 80. On December 31, 2018, while McHenry and Murdoch were in New York for New Year's Eve tapings, Murdoch "became hostile and aggressive" upon learning that McHenry had brought her boyfriend to New York. Id. ¶ 81.

After learning that McHenry had a boyfriend, Murdoch "further harassed and retaliated against her, and created an abusive and hostile work environment for her on set" and refused to talk to McHenry unless it was during a taping of the show. Id. ¶ 83. In January 2019, McHenry reported to Rauchet, Un-PC ’s executive producer, that Murdoch had sent McHenry "inappropriate and sexual harassing text messages." Id. Rauchet did not report this complaint to Human Resources or otherwise investigate. Id. On February 22, 2019, Murdoch "lashed out" at McHenry on the air, telling her she had "an ignorant point of view," that she had "no integrity," and that "only an idiot would say that," which prompted McHenry to call Rauchet to make a second "sexual harassment" complaint "about Mr. Murdoch's demeaning conduct." Id. ¶ 84. Rauchet did not report this complaint to Human Resources or otherwise investigate but acknowledged that Murdoch was "difficult" and had previously sent Rauchet a "hostile" email about Un-PC. Id.

Between February 2019 and April 2019, Murdoch refused to speak to McHenry except on camera, and "continued to be rude to her." Id. ¶ 85. McHenry occasionally invited Murdoch to lunch when things were civil between them, but the relationship did not improve. Id.

On or around April 12, 2019, Murdoch yelled at McHenry about the placement of a hockey banner on set and "cursed at her." Id. ¶ 86. McHenry then made a third complaint to Rauchet about Murdoch's "sexual harassment and retaliatory abuse." Id. Rauchet told McHenry that she was "replaceable" and that Fox News "never wanted her," before walking out of the room. Id. On April 12, 2019, McHenry's agent emailed Finley, a Vice President at Fox News Channel, and reported McHenry's "intolerable and hostile work environment" and Rauchet's "inappropriate reaction" to McHenry's complaint. Id. ¶¶ 64, 87; April 12, 2019 Email.

On or around April 17, 2019, Mekeel, a Fox News Human Resources representative, reached out to McHenry. Am. Compl. ¶ 88. In her position as HR representative, Mekeel "performed job duties for both Fox Corp[.] and Fox News." Id. ¶ 7. After McHenry sent some screenshots of the text messages from Murdoch, Mekeel "requested every text message ever exchanged" between McHenry and Murdoch and "essentially asked Ms. McHenry what she had done to provoke" Murdoch. Id. ¶ 88.

At an unspecified time, Fox News informed McHenry that Un-PC would continue with her and a new co-host. Id. ¶ 89. Murdoch was not suspended and was instead given his own show, an opportunity that, McHenry contends, is "more...