It seems Bill O’Reilly couldn’t keep this sexual harassment scandal a secret forever.
On Tuesday, the New York Times revealed the FOX personality had been accused of sexual harassment by Juliet Huddy, but the complaint had quietly been settled last year.
Last month, the Times anonymously obtained a letter the former FOX News anchor’s lawyers sent to Fox News back in August, describing disgusting details that explained the O’Reilly Factor star first began pursuing a sexual relationship with Miz Huddy back in 2011.
Related: Roger Ailes Left FOX News After Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
According to the letter, Bill invited Juliet to lunch near his Long Island home that January. Afterward, he allegedly brought her back to his home, and gave her a tour of every room.
But as she was leaving, the doc claims he forcibly kissed her against her will, saying:
“To shock and disgust, as Ms. Huddy was saying goodbye to Mr. O’Reilly, he quickly moved in and kissed her on the lips. Ms. Huddy was so taken aback and repulsed that she instinctively recoiled and actually fell to the ground. Mr. O’Reilly, looking amused, did not even help Ms. Huddy up.”
The next week, the on-air personality invited Juliet to a Broadway show and gave her a key to his hotel room, instructing her to meet him there later that night.
The lawyers say in the paper that their client arrived at the hotel but called Bill, asking if they could instead meet in the lobby:
“Ms. Huddy declined and explained that she was not interested in Mr. O’Reilly on a personal or sexual level.”
When Mr. O’Reilly refused to take no for an answer, the Miami native went to his room to return the key. The letter explained that Bill opened his door wearing only boxer shorts, and Juliet was “very embarrassed, handed Mr. O’Reilly his key and quickly left.”
Video: Watch The View Call Out Bill O’Reilly!
The document declared Bill had developed an “obsession” with Miz Huddy, would bombard her with “highly inappropriate and sexual” phone calls at all hours, and even sometimes sounded as if he was masturbating on the other end.
Juliet was allegedly horrified and uncomfortable with these calls:
“Disgusted, Ms. Huddy came up with an excuse and hung up the phone.”
While she never wanted a relationship with Bill, “she felt compelled to comply with Mr. O’Reilly’s request, given that he had total control over her work assignment.”
And if appeared this fear was justified, because Mr. O’Reilly allegedly began “nitpick[ing]” and “berat[ing]” the journalist at work:
“Ms. Huddy’s rejection of Mr. O’Reilly apparently did not sit well with him, as he began to retaliate against her both on and off air.”
Juliet was replaced on a segment of his show in 2013, and her segment Mad As Hell was canceled.
On September 5, Juliet, her team, and 21st Century Fox settled the scandal with an undisclosed six-figure sum — according to sources briefed on the agreement — in exchange for her silence and agreeing not to “disparage, malign or defame” Bill or the network. In return, Bill had to agree not to “disparage, malign or defame” Juliet, either.
If either sides breaks confidentiality, they’ll have to shell out half a million dollars. We’re guessing Bill is none too happy with the NY Times right about now!
Related: Greta Van Susteren Leaves FOX News!
The settlement also squashed Miz Huddy’s similar harassment complaints against longtime exec Jack Abernathy.
Two days after coming to an agreement, Juliet stepped down from Good Day Early Call on a FOX affiliate station, saying:
“Thank you to everyone who has made the last 20 years the most challenging but best of my life. Perhaps someday, even someday soon, you’ll see me on television again.”
What do U think of all this, Perezcious readers?
[Image via Ivan Nikolov/Patricia Schlein/WENN.]
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