There is no shortage of groups taking credit for Bill O’Reilly‘s sudden downfall at Fox News Channel.
Lisa Bloom, the attorney who represents two new O’Reilly accusers:
“This is what happens when women speak our truth; we can slay dragons. I am very proud to have stood with my brave clients who stood up for themselves and all the silenced women. Fox News should have fired him in 2004 when the first complaint was made, but at least they did it now.”
UltraViolet, which organized a protest outside Fox News Tuesday:
“The fact that Fox News is only taking action against O’Reilly after an investigation revealed that they could be defrauding shareholder by not revealing payments made to cover up the abuse, isn’t lost on anyone. The first accusations of sexual assault lobbed against Bill O’Reilly at Fox News were made more than 13 years ago. Unless Fox News makes the results of the investigation public, and fires all those found guilty of, or complicit in, covering up sexual harassment – advertisers and the general public will continue to have cause for concern.”
Color of Change, which pressured advertisers to pull out of O’Reilly Factor:
“This victory belongs to all those who O’Reilly has victimized, and those who have demanded that the corporations that sponsor his show put their money where their values are and pull their spots. Thanks to that pressure, Bill O’Reilly will no longer be a menace on-air or in the halls of Fox News’s headquarters. Bill O’Reilly has spent years spewing racism and harassing women. Today, his reign of hate and abuse comes to an end.”
Media Matters:
“Fox News was forced to act. They had years to address serial sexual harassment at Fox News. They didn’t; they actually enabled it. So, individuals and groups took action to educate advertisers. Advertisers fled because they immediately recognized what Fox News has ignored for over a decade: that serial sexual harassment is not only wrong, but bad for business.”
Nancy Erika Smith, attorney for former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson and current Fox News analyst Julie Roginsky:
“The departure of Bill O’Reilly is an important next step to clean up Fox News and make it a respectful and professional work environment. If Twenty-First Century Fox genuinely wants to achieve that result, it will resolve without delay the claims of women, like Julie Roginsky ,who have been harassed, intimidated, demeaned and discriminated against.”