Kelly Wright Speaks About ‘Systemic Racial Bias’ at Fox News During Press Conference

By A.J. Katz 

It’s another chaotic morning for Fox News. One day after veteran FNC anchor and reporter Kelly Wright announced that he was joining the racial discrimination lawsuit against the network, Wright spoke at a press conference this morning organized by his attorney Doug Wigdor of Wigdor LLP.

CBSN is the only national TV news service carrying the press conference. None of the cable news networks are, not even competitors CNN or MSNBC.

“This hurts,” began Wright, who was emotional, but also composed throughout the presser. “I am here reluctantly because I am not against any man or woman at Fox News. The truth is that I admire, I like and even love the people I work with and for. But I don’t like what they do.”

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“There is systemic and institutional racial bias,” Wright continued. “And so when my colleagues from other departments began to reveal their encounters with blatant acts of discrimination in their departments, I watched it. I prayed about it. I cried over it, and I said I could no longer sit in silence, collect my paycheck, and act like I didn’t experience racial bias on my own level as an on-air personality.”

Wigdor then spoke on behalf of his client, saying “sadly, despite his talents and accolades and the person that he is, he’s been marginalized because of the color of his skin. He was removed from his co-host position at Fox & Friends by a white colleague as Fox News has become whiter across the board.”

He continued: “As we sit here today, Mr. Wright is the only black male anchor at Fox News, and one of only three black anchors overall.”

Wigdor then went on to speak about former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, and O’Reilly’s encounters with his client.

“Mr. O’Reilly would not permit Mr. Wright to come on his show to discuss how America can focus on achieving racial reconciliation in the midst of growing hostility. Instead, Mr. O’Reilly told Mr. Wright that he should call up Roger Ailes and Bill Shine and offer to sing the National Anthem at the Fox News town hall. Rather than viewing Mr. Wright as the two-time Emmy Award recipient that he is, Mr. O’Reilly saw Mr. Wright as a singing entertainer.”

The network provided TVNewser with the following statement:

“FOX News and Dianne Brandi vehemently deny the race discrimination claims in both lawsuits. They are copycat complaints of the original one filed last month. We will vigorously defend these cases.” – FOX News

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