UPDATE: According to Mediaite, Bolling has been suspended by Fox News:
Eric Bolling has been suspended pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway.
Bolling had taped his Saturday morning program in advance and before the details broke on Friday, but the network replaced it with regular news coverage instead.
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The culture of sexual harassment at Fox didn’t end with the removal of Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly or the recent allegations against Charles Payne. Eric Bolling is the latest to face allegations, reportedly sending inappropriate text messages featuring photographs of male genitalia to three of his female colleagues. Several sources at the offices of Fox News and Fox Business say they have either seen the pictures or discussed them with the recipients according to The Huffington Post, and fourteen different sources have agreed to talk to the media on condition of anonymity.
Bolling’s lawyer is denying the allegations and stated simply, “Mr. Bolling recalls no such inappropriate communications, does not believe he sent any such communications, and will vigorously pursue his legal remedies for any false and defamatory accusations that are made,” with Fox News offering a statement to Mediaite about the situation:
“We were just informed of this late Friday afternoon via a HuffPost inquiry and plan to investigate the matter.”
Bolling has long been a fixture on Fox News, becoming one of the networks more vocal figures, having made other sexist and controversial remarks on air. Bolling was a most visible with his work on The Five panel, making controversy with his take on “boots on the ground” in reference to the UAE first female fighter pilot, asking if it would be considered “boobs on the ground.” Since then. he’s been promoted to co-host a new show called The Specialists and help fill the void following the departure of O’Reilly.
The allegations against Bolling are interesting due to the host’s political aspirations. Asan ardent Trump supporter, it was rumored that he might be leaving the conservative news network behind to work with the administration or possibly run for a Senate seat. On one hand, Trump is considering former Fox co-president Bill Shine for a communications position and has considered others from the network for positions, so there reason to believe this. Fox did recently renew Bolling’s contract, making it unlikely he’ll take off just yet and these allegations could ensure his future in any arena might be limited.
Will this be another Fox News host to fall thanks to controversy?
(Via: Huffington Post / USA Today)