Discussion: Fox Boss Ailes' Exit Reportedly In Works, But Deal Snagged In Tense Negotiations

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Fox Boss Ailes' Exit Reportedly In Works, But Deal Snagged In Tense Negotiations Fox Boss Ailes' Exit Reportedly In Works, But Deal Snagged In Tense Negotiations Back to article
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What are they “negotiating” over? Refuse to accept responsibility for error in judgment? Fine.

Fire his ass.

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Estrich is his lawyer? Hope she runs his exit negotiations like she ran the Dukakis campaign. Ailes will end up paying Murdoch to leave.

What type of lawyer gives interviews to the Hollywood Reporter at this point in the negotiation?

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Regardless of the action Fox News takes against Ailes, Fox Entertainment Group is still on the hook because he was its employee. The settlements are likely to be yuuuuuuuge.

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Which is why I am trying to understand this. I get Ailes not wanting to admit he fucked up, because that might bite him when he heads to court in the Carlson suit.

But I don’t understand what Fox isn’t simply handing this ass the door, saving themselves $40 million to hold in reserve to pay off Carlson to settle the suit and/or when they lose it.

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The timing suggests either that the recent harassment charges are more than less true and Murdoch has known about it all along, or Murdoch wants someone in charge more friendly to Trump.

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I think “admitting responsibility” may be code for who has to pay whatever settlements go to people Ailes harassed and who pays for his legal team if the litigation isn’t settled quickly. Ailes admitting responsibility in the right way (i.e. claiming that he didn’t let anyone higher up know about it) could save Fox a passel of money.

And they can’t just toss him on his ear because he’s too old and too rich to care what damage he does to Murdoch if he spills everything he knows about the past 20-plus years. (Can you imagine the kind of tell-all book he could have ghost-written)

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I suppose the alternative to a deal is a five year excruciatingly messy court battle revealing all sorts of dirty laundry. Might be good for ratings, I’d think about it.

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arguing over indemnity on the harassment charges and the three news babes of his choice?

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There could be some contract terms that are ambiguous enough to make for some argument over what the terms of separation really are. The differences could add up to millions,