Richard Drew / AP
Suspended Fox News host Eric Bolling has responded via Twitter to allegations that he sent female coworkers lewd and inappropriate text messages without their consent:
Where things stand: Bolling was swiftly suspended by Fox News on Saturday "pending the results of an investigation" after a Friday evening Huffington Post report detailing the allegations, which Bolling's lawyer branded as "anonymous, uncorroborated claims" that were "untrue and terribly unfair." The network has faced a string of recent high-profile sexual harassment claims, leading to the departures of chairman Roger Ailes last year and anchor Bill O'Reilly in April.
The latest:
- Bolling's name was scrubbed from the Twitter account for his show, The Fox News Specialists, at some point yesterday, per Mediaite.
- Some guest replacements being considered for Bolling's extended departure are Geraldo Rivera, Dana Perino, and Jesse Watters, according to Brian Stelter's Reliable Sources newsletter.
- Reliable Sources also says that Fox News gossip claims that Bolling's alleged behavior started back when Ailes was still in charge, reflecting the network's entrenched culture struggles.
Worth remembering: Bolling just signed a multiyear contract extending his tenure with Fox News in June. In announcing the signing, Fox News called him a "staple to the Fox News brand" and stated its hope he'd be "at the network for many more years to come."