Ex-Fox News producer hit with sexual assault claims by subordinate: report
An ex-Fox News producer is suing the network claiming a senior ranked executive for former anchor Tucker Carlson sexually assaulted and then continued to harass him after making promotion promises.
The suit was brought in New York State Court before Nov. 23, which was the deadline for the end of the New York Adult Survivors Act which allowed complaints to be filed that would normally be beyond the statute of limitations.
In it, Justin Wells was accused of fondling genitals of Andrew Delancey, a male subordinate, twice — once in the complainant's apartment and again in a stairwell after he was hired in 2008, according to the Washington Post.
Delancey was identified publicly by his lawyer.
The papers claim Wells committed assault and battery while pointing the finger of negligence and sexual harassment on Fox News.
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While working as producer at the local affiliate Fox 5 at the time, Wells first messaged the staffer through Facebook back in 2007, the complaint says.
“Mr. Delancey will no longer be intimidated by Mr. Wells or Fox,” his attorney Alfredo J. Pelicci said in a statement to The Post. “Our firm is committed to holding Justin Wells and Fox accountable for their unlawful and abhorrent actions.”
Delancey, who was working for a Florida Fox station, claims he had “caught [Wells’] eye.”
In 2008, Delancey moved to New York after being hired by Fox News Edge. By that time, Wells started producing Greta Van Susteren’s "On the Record" show.
He would shift to Tucker's program soon after Van Susteren left Fox for MSNBC back in 2016.
Delancey was allegedly gifted items by Wells, including personally monogrammed Fox-beaded pencils and notebooks and pledging to help him “learn the ropes” at the cable news behemoth.
A month into Delancey's tenure in New York, Wells invited him a company mixer at a gay bar, according to outlet, citing the lawsuit.
Wells allegedly insisted that they pre-party at Wells’s apartment.
It was there where Delancey claims Wells, “Easily overpowered” him by getting him onto his bed and pawing his genitals which in turn caused Delancey to yell "No!" and caused him what he described as “severe pain".
“Wells was not reserved about reminding Mr. Delancey that he held higher status at the Network and could, in turn, affect Mr. Delancey’s career trajectory."