A lawyer representing ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson urged Republicans on Monday to avoid appearing on the network over claims of censorship.
Previously one of the conservative network's biggest ratings draws, Carlson was abruptly fired from Fox News in late April for reasons that still remain unclear. Subsequent reports have suggested that the move was spurred on by offensive text messages from Carlson that alarmed company leadership. Others have suggested that it was related to a gender discrimination lawsuit against Carlson by Abby Grossberg, a former staff member who alleged that he fostered a misogynist and toxic work environment.
Last Tuesday, Carlson launched a new online program, Tucker on Twitter, available via the social media platform. In response, Fox News issued a cease and desist letter claiming that the show violated his contract with the company, which remains in effect until early 2025 and prevents Carlson from working on non-Fox programs. Reports have previously indicated that the former Fox News host planned to violate his contract, instead of taking payment to remain off-the-air until it expired.
In May, Bloomberg reported that Carlson had retained Harmeet Dhillon for legal representation in Grossberg's discrimination against him. Dhillon is an outspoken conservative lawyer and political figure, who previously served as vice chair of the California Republican Party and recently launched a failed bid to replace Ronna McDaniel as head of the Republican National Committee (RNC).
On Monday, Dhillon issued a tweet decrying Fox News's cease and desist letter to Carlson and urged Republicans to stop appearing on the conservative network, claiming, without evidence, that its current offerings are censored and that her client's firing was due to the network having "caved into pressure."
"For all the friends who have been asking 'why don't we see you on Fox anymore?' — This is why," she wrote. "I am passionately committed to free speech and a free flow of information necessary for a free society. Until Fox stops trying to silence Tucker, it's not a place for me. And I feel for my friends working at the network which has clearly caved into pressure from some quarter to silence [Tucker Carlson]. What you are seeing on Fox today is a censored version of the news. Keep that in mind as you make your viewing and your commenting choices."
For all the friends who have been asking “why don’t we see you on Fox anymore?” — This is why. I am passionately committed to free speech and a free flow of information necessary for a free society. Until Fox stops trying to silence Tucker, it’s not a place for me. And I feel for…
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) June 12, 2023
Dhillon added: "For all the members of Congress, culture warriors, 'influencers,' [GOP] officials — do you really want to air your views on a network that spits on its viewers, leaks oppo on its own talent, and even threatens former talent for speaking, for free, on [Twitter]?! You have free will!"
Newsweek reached out to Fox News via email for comment.
