title:  How Fox News Is Trying To Cover Up Its Harassment Lawsuit
text: Lawyers working on behalf of Roger Ailes, the chairman of the right-wing Fox News Channel, filed a legal motion on Friday that would hide the details of former anchor Gretchen Carlson s sexual harassment allegations from the public.Ailes  lawyers have asked that the lawsuit be moved from federal courts in New Jersey and into arbitration. They claim that Carlson is orchestrating a  tar-and-feather campaign  and that constitutes a breach of her contract with Fox News. They claim that the document she signed with the network mandates that disputes go into arbitration, and that a legal case with a jury can t go forward.Carlson s lawyers say the gambit is just an attempt to stop Fox s dirty laundry from being aired in public.Ms. Carlson s lawyers said Mr. Ailes was trying to force the case into a secret proceeding, and away from the public spotlight of a trial. Gretchen never agreed to arbitrate anything with Mr. Ailes, and the contract on which he relies does not mention him and is not signed by him,  her lawyers, Nancy Erika Smith and Martin Hyman, said in a statement.  Gretchen intends to fight for her right to a public jury trial, a right protected by the discrimination laws and our Constitution. Ms. Carlson did not name Fox News in the lawsuit. Mr. Ailes is the only defendant.Carlson alleges in her lawsuit that she was demoted to a daytime timeslot on the network after she rebuffed sexual advances from Ailes and complained about sexism from her co-hosts on Fox & Friends, particularly conservative host Steve Doocy.Ailes alleges that she was demoted and let go because of poor ratings. Since the allegations were first publicized, Carlson s lawyers say they have been deluged by complaints from women about Ailes, including one allegation about a 16-year-old female.Ailes is a long-time conservative who worked as part of Richard Nixon s operation, was associated with the infamous Willie Horton ad, and has a history of racially charged and sexist comments. He denies Carlson s claims.Featured image via YouTube