August 7, 2017

Star chamber justice condemns Eric Bolling of Fox News without a trial

A system of sorts has been perfected to destroy the most effective conservative spokesmen on the Fox News Channel, and it operated with stunning efficiency over the last few days. A marginal writer with a documented background as a high level political operative and fundraiser in left wing Democrat politics published an unsourced article at a far left Web site, HuffPost (formerly the Huffington Post). The article claimed that multiple anonymous sources supposedly confirmed to the writer that “several years ago” prominent Fox News channel (FNC) host and anchor Eric Bolling – who happens to be a strong supporter of President Donald Trump – texted a graphic, lewd photo of male genitalia to two or three of his FNC female colleagues.

Eric Bolling on The Five

No one is quoted in the article – anonymously or otherwise. Apparently, the allegations were news to Bolling’s employer. Bolling’s attorney, when given short notice that the article was about to be published, immediately issued a denial on behalf of his client. (The next afternoon, having had some time to prepare, he issued a more vociferous denial.)

Nonetheless, before the evening was over, a pre-recorded new episode of Bolling’s weekly show Cashin’ In, that had been set to run Saturday morning at 11:30 AM EDT, was pulled from the FNC schedule. The next day, Saturday, a one sentence statement from Fox News informed the world that Bolling was immediately suspended from his jobs at Fox News (six shows a week, totaling 5 ½ hours of airtime, not counting frequent guest spots on other Fox programs).

Later on Saturday, a Fox News representative emailed reporters, including this writer, several additional points, including that an internal investigation of the accusations was being undertaken by the law firm Paul, Weiss, and that starting today (Monday August 7) “rotating” substitute hosts would appear on Bolling’s shows, The Fox News Specialists and Cashin’ In.

The scribe responsible for the damaging article on Bolling uses the byline Yashar Ali. According to an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 2016, his full name is Yashar Ali Hedayat. After a short career doing work behind the camera in Hollywood, Ali Hedayat – reportedly from a wealthy background in Illinois, according to the Plain Dealer – started working as a Democrat political operative. According to several mainstream sources, he reportedly raised between $100,000 and $150,000 for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 campaign. As an individual in recent years, the Federal Election Commission reports “Yashar Hedayat” contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Democrat political campaigns. In 2009, he was appointed to a $131,100 a year job with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, but after three months he left that position for a job with Newsom’s successful campaign for California Lieutenant Governor. Later, Ali Hedayet moved to the East coast and began writing articles under the name Yashar Ali for various left of center publications.

Yashar Ali Hedayat

The HuffPost article, representing Ali Hedayat’s “kill shot” (a memorable term used by Sean Hannity last May to describe his enemies’ attempt to bring him down via an advertiser boycott) aimed at Bolling, has catapulted Ali to his 15 minutes of fame.

Also joining the pack of jackals nipping at Bolling’s heels is Caroline Heldman, Ph.D. Heldman is an associate professor, politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles – coincidentally one of Barack Obama’s alma maters. Heldman is a hardcore, in-your-face socialist. Between 2008 and 2011, she was a frequent guest on Fox News channel and Fox Business network programs – on hundreds of occasions, according to her count – particularly Bill O’Reilly’s O’Reilly Factor. An attractive and intense young woman, she was an effective debate foil for O’Reilly, consistently taking the far left, radical feminist position on a variety of issues. Heldman was perfect for Fox News, with “the look” including blond tresses that guaranteed frequent appearances. In a parallel universe, she could have been a Fox News anchor or a show host. The channel’s talent bookers probably thought they had found the perfect guest: a die hard radical feminist who dressed stylishly, wore makeup, styled her hair, and looked like she shaved her legs.

Prof. Caroline Heldman

On Saturday, August 5, late in the afternoon as the Bolling story was attracting widespread mainstream media attention, Heldman posted a screed on her Facebook page, alleging she had been harassed in the past by Bowling. Excerpts of her claims of harassment:

Bolling referred to me as "Dr. McHottie" on air on four different occasions, and called me “smart, beautiful, and wrong” on air twice. . .

Bolling would also contact me via phone and text after shows, sometimes to apologize for his behavior (and then do it again), and sometimes just to talk. He said he wanted to fly me out to New York for in-studio hits and to have “fun.” He asked me to have meals with him on several occasions, but I found excuses not to go. Once, he took me up to his office in New York, showed me his baseball jerseys, and in the brief time I was there, let me know that his office was his favorite place to have sex.

That is pretty much the extent of Heldman’s recollections of Bolling at her Facebook – in a post that has gained her instant mass media attention. (Just Google her name now and see what comes up.) Taking advantage of her latest 15 minutes of fame, Heldman showed up – where else – on MSNBC, on AM Joy on Sunday morning August 6 to repeat her charges, which included jabs at Bill O’Reilly and one other person related to Fox whom she claims also harassed her. The entire segment can be viewed here.

Meanwhile, a number of media accounts have conflated her claims with those attributed to the unnamed anonymous sources that Ali Hedayet used for his article, whom he didn’t quote. Heldman has not to my knowledge claimed that she was a source for Ali Hedayat’s article.

Heldman on AM Joy

Meanwhile, the law firm that is investigating Bolling for the internal Fox review of his status and future with the company – Paul, Weiss – is a Democrat-dominated shop. Between 81.3% and 85.7% of the campaign contributions of its employees in recent years have gone to Democrat candidates. In a news release on January 23, 2017, the firm crowed that it had hired Obama’s Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, three days after he left the government, for a high profile position with the firm. In the previous investigations of accused Fox News personnel that Paul, Weiss has conducted, every one of the targets has been fired or forced to resign from their jobs. It appears that the future for Eric Bolling at Fox doesn’t look very promising.

This is pretty much the status quo now: A writer who hardly anyone had heard of publishes a 900 word article in a left wing website relying on exclusively anonymous sources alleging someone of prominence texted one lewd photo to two or three female colleagues several years ago. The details are scanty and the corroboration non-existent. And without a shred of evidence, that targeted individual is immediately taken off the air, has his name expunged from his company’s website, is smeared if not libeled in thousands of news articles including in foreign media, and is left to languish while a Democrat-dominated law firm “investigates” the “charges” against him – which will determine the accused’s fate.

By the way, for an inside account of how a previous investigation of the accused at Fox News went down, an excellent read is “Inside the Final Days of Roger Ailes’s Reign at Fox News” published in Vanity Fair last September 22.

Welcome to the new Star Chamber1 – Transformed America 2017. No evidence, no judge, no jury – just an executioner.

1 Star Chamber: A former court of inquisitorial and criminal jurisdiction in England that sat without a jury and that became noted for its arbitrary methods and severe punishments, abolished 1641. Any tribunal, committee, or the like, which proceeds by arbitrary or unfair methods.

http://www.americanthinker.com...without_a_trial.html

She really gets around. A one woman wrecking crew.

Check this out: Link

Her website gives more clues: Link

quote:

Heldman, a stalwart liberal and a registered Democrat, says she first came into Fox’s orbit when a producer for O’Reilly approached her in 2008 about appearing as an on-air guest. She went on to make dozens of unpaid appearances on Fox News and Fox Business, sparring with hosts including O’Reilly and Sean Hannity. “I wanted to have a voice and a vehicle for interrupting the script at Fox,” she says. Often, a Fox host would dismiss her for her liberal viewpoint. On one occasion, Fox host Eric Bolling referred to her as “Dr. McHottie” on live TV.

I suppose she accomplished her objective: "interrupting the script at Fox,”

Why the double standards?
When libs get caught in lewd behavior "it's just sex" is the predictable response and then it's ignored.

Either all the guys at fox can't keep it in their pants or someone is playing hard and lose with the truth. He said, she said.

Yeah, well Jim Acosta may have sent me a picture of his linkie. I was shocked and horrified.

I am still waiting to see a photo of Rachael Madcow's male linkey!!

I'm not a huge fan of Eric Bolling. He's not stupid or anything but he's not the sharpest tool in the drawer either. He's no Ben Shapiro. But few are.

But... It appears that he's being "taken down" by leftists just because they can. He and Jesse Waters have been called the racist, sexists who have replaced the racist, sexist Bill O'Reilly.

Unless there's proof that he's texting out pics of his junk to people, they had better clear him pretty quickly. This Heldman does appear to be a one woman wrecking crew.... and Heldman is a hardcore, in-your-face socialist.

Shouldn't be allowed to get away with unsubstantiated allegations.

Our individual junk is unique to us all.
It should be easy to tell if the photo is correct or not.

quote:

Originally posted by lbj:
Our individual junk is unique to us all.
It should be easy to tell if the photo is correct or not.

No way!

All men are created equal. Everyone knows that.

Rumor has it that WJC possesses a left leaning member.
Monica can confirm or deny.

Fox News Host Eric Bolling Sues Journalist for $50M Over Lewd Photo Allegation

Recently suspended Fox News host Eric Bolling is suing journalist Yashar Ali for defamation and is seeking $50 million in damages.

The lawsuit comes just days after Ali wrote an August 4 story for HuffPost claiming more than a dozen sources told him Bolling sent "an unsolicited photo of male genitalia via text message to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and one colleague at Fox News."

On August 5, Fox News suspended Bolling — recently a host on the talk show Fox News Specialists and Cashin' In and formerly of The Five — amid an investigation into the claims. He has worked at Fox News since 2008.

Ali wrote on Twitter Wednesday that he has received a summons from Bolling, and says he stands by his reporting and will protect his sources. In the initial story, Ali says he spoke to 14 sources on the condition of anonymity because they either currently work at the networks, can't speak to press without permission or signed confidentiality agreements.

The summons, which was filed Wednesday in New York state court, says Bolling is seeking both damages and injunctive relief arising from Ali's efforts to injure his reputation through "intentional and/or highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements" about his conduct and character.

HuffPost issued a statement in response to the summons: "Yashar Ali is a careful and meticulous reporter. We stand by his reporting.” The outlet did not respond to a question about whether it will assist Ali with his legal defense even though it is not named in the summons.

Because Bolling is a public figure, to succeed on a defamation claim he'll have to prove Ali either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. He's retained Michael Bowe and Ronald Rossi from Kasowitz Benson Torres — the firm whose name partner Marc Kasowitz reps president Donald Trump. The firm also has ties to ousted Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.

In addition to HuffPost, Ali writes for Mother Jones and New York magazines. He's previously worked in politics, having served as deputy chief of staff to then-San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom.

Ali has been described in press reports as a "Los Angeles businessman" and was named a "Hillblazer" for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, a term that refers to individuals "who have contributed and/or raised $100,000 or more for Hillary for America, the Hillary Victory Fund, and/or the Hillary Action Fund since the launch of this historic campaign on April 12, 2015."

Ali also noted that HuffPost isn't named in the suit. "[H]e is coming after me personally," he tweeted. "I'm a big boy...but very telling."

This suit comes amid an ever-growing legal circus surrounding the network and its employees. The allegations span everything from sexual harassment and retaliation to discrimination to publishing fake news.

Fox Business host Charles Payne is also currently suspended pending an investigation into sexual harassment claims. And Fox Sports exec Jamie Horowitz was recently fired amid harassment allegations.

Fox News has not yet replied to a request for comment.

Link

Good for him. He needs to fight back strong like that, if he didn't do anything wrong.

quote:

Ali wrote on Twitter Wednesday that he has received a summons from Bolling, and says he stands by his reporting and will protect his sources. In the initial story, Ali says he spoke to 14 sources on the condition of anonymity because they either currently work at the networks, can't speak to press without permission or signed confidentiality agreements.

<snip>

Because Bolling is a public figure, to succeed on a defamation claim he'll have to prove Ali either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. He's retained Michael Bowe and Ronald Rossi from Kasowitz Benson Torres — the firm whose name partner Marc Kasowitz reps president Donald Trump. The firm also has ties to ousted Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.

So he can pretty much print any fucking thing he wants without consequence, at least no consequences to him.

quote:

He's previously worked in politics, having served as deputy chief of staff to then-San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom.

That right there speaks volumes.

I didn't know that Charles Payne had been suspended. That makes me sad, Mrs. BRL and I really like him.

quote:

Fox News Host Eric Bolling Sues Journalist for $50M Over Lewd Photo Allegation

$50M is a tad stiff

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Fox News Host Eric Bolling Sues Journalist for $50M Over Lewd Photo Allegation

$50M is a tad stiff

Stiff for us normal folks. Not so bad for those who are taking home millions each year.

quote:

Originally posted by Elk Hunter:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Fox News Host Eric Bolling Sues Journalist for $50M Over Lewd Photo Allegation

$50M is a tad stiff

Stiff for us normal folks. Not so bad for those who are taking home millions each year.

It's a dick pic case and I was making a dick joke

quote:

Originally posted by BRL:

quote:

Ali wrote on Twitter Wednesday that he has received a summons from Bolling, and says he stands by his reporting and will protect his sources. In the initial story, Ali says he spoke to 14 sources on the condition of anonymity because they either currently work at the networks, can't speak to press without permission or signed confidentiality agreements.

<snip>

Because Bolling is a public figure, to succeed on a defamation claim he'll have to prove Ali either knew the information was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. He's retained Michael Bowe and Ronald Rossi from Kasowitz Benson Torres — the firm whose name partner Marc Kasowitz reps president Donald Trump. The firm also has ties to ousted Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.

So he can pretty much print any fucking thing he wants without consequence, at least no consequences to him.

Yep. Freedom of the press. I wouldn't say entirely without consequences. He will be getting a very thorough going over, and will be put under excrutiating pressure to explain exactly what he knew or just made up. He won't like it. He'll be paying lawyers for all the not liking it. It will limit his freedom of action, take up some time.

Bolling has to prove damages. There will be some, maybe not $50,000,000.

There's the litigation and there's the negotiation. Bolling could pick any number he liked. If he's confident enough to go on the attack, then why not try to start the negotiation at $50 million? After all, it (theoretically) wouldn't cost Ali a penny to back off until the legal dispute is resolved in some way.

As for proving damages, hasn't he been suspended? And if he comes through this and winds up going back to work at FOX, why wouldn't the FOX execs want to testify in public that Ali's allegations led to Bolling's suspension? I'm happy to defer to the more knowledgeable, but I would think that would be enough to get Bolling into court - especially if Bolling can at least allege that the passage of time adds significantly to the injury he's suffering.

Uh Oh, Tucker is on vacation with his family!

Fox News Channel will part ways with host Eric Bolling, a host and contributor whose on-air presence at the 21st Century Fox-owned network had been growing in recent months, after allegations surfaced that he had harassed colleagues there, the network confirmed Friday.

“Fox News Channel is canceling ‘The Specialists,’ and Eric Bolling and Fox have agreed to part ways amicably,” the network said in a statement.” We thank Eric for his ten years of service to our loyal viewers and wish him the best of luck.” A Huffington Post report had disclosed allegations that Bolling had sent lewd messages to colleagues via smartphone.

Bolling, a former commodities trader and best-selling author, had been a longtime co-host of “The Five,” and more recently helped launch a new late-afternoon show, “The Fox News Specialists.” He also anchors the Fox News program “Cashin’ In.” Fox News intends to keep Bolling’s co-hosts, Eboni Williams and Kat Timpf, as contributors. The show will be replaced at 5 p.m. eastern with an hour of news coverage for the foreseeable future, with rotating anchors holding down the slot.

Bolling had vowed to clear his name.

The allegations against Bolling were among the latest personnel issues to roil the network that broadcasts such popular shows as “Hannity” and “Fox & Friends.” The parent company, 21st Century Fox, is working to acquire the rest of European broadcaster Sky PLC that it does not already own. Attorneys for several employees who have sued Fox News and activists have used the accusations to suggest British regulators not approve the proposed transaction, which remains under government review.

Attorneys for the TV outlet appear to have been investigating multiple claims. Earlier on Friday, Charles Payne, a host on Fox Business Network was re-instated after being suspended following claims of harassment leveled at him. Payne also vowed to fight the allegations.

Link