
A former Fox News employee has accused one of host Tucker Carlson’s top producers of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed Monday.
The accuser, Andrew Delancey, who previously worked as a producer for a Fox News-affiliated service, said in the complaint that Justin Wells, former lead executive producer of «Tucker Carlson Tonight,» assaulted him in 2008 after he promised to help him advance his career. .
A subpoena was first filed in New York state court on Nov. 22, just before the deadline set by the state’s Adult Survivors Act, which provides a single window for people to pursue civil lawsuits for assaults that may have occurred years or even decades ago. . The full complaint was made public Monday, when it was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
In addition to Mr. Wells, the suit names Fox News and its parent company, Fox Corporation, as defendants.
Fox News fired Mr. Wells alongside Mr. Carlson in April following the network’s blockbuster $787.5 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. Mr Wells now works for Mr Carlson on his show on the social media platform X.
A Fox News spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer for Mr. Wells, called the lawsuit “meritless.”
“Mr. Wells unequivocally denies these allegations and will vigorously contest them,” Ms. Dhillon said in a statement. “This is another attempt by a law firm with a history of suing Fox and its former used in court to profit from frivolous allegations.»
In a statement, Mr Carlson said: «Generally speaking, if you believe you have been the victim of a sex crime, you have a moral obligation to alert the police, so this does not happen to anyone else . If you wait 15 years to file a civil suit, no one should take you seriously. Certainly not.
Mr. Delancey’s lawyers declined to comment beyond the complaint. The complaint does not specify any damage.
The lawsuit said that after Mr. Delancey moved to New York in 2008 for his job at Fox, Mr. Wells began «showering Mr. Delancey with gifts» and told him he could help him » learn the tricks of the trade.” At the time, Mr. Wells was a field producer for host Greta Van Susteren.
The men first met in person outside Mr. Wells’s apartment building, the complaint says, and Mr. Wells insisted that they have drinks at his apartment before going to a bar. In the apartment and on the roof of the building, according to the complaint, Mr. Wells grabbed Mr. Delancey’s genitals and tried to kiss him.
The lawsuit said Mr. Delancey’s direct supervisor warned him not to go to human resources with any complaints and that Mr. Wells suggested he might hinder Mr. Delancey’s career.
«Following Wells’ threats, Mr. Delancey found that his career progression at Fox was conspicuously halted, a departure from the promised career advancements and warm welcome he received upon his arrival at Fox,» the complaint states. “As a result, Mr. Delancey returned to his position at the local Fox station in Tampa.”
In 2017, amid the #MeToo movement, Mr. Delancey posted about his experience on Facebook, although he did not name Mr. Wells. A former co-worker contacted him, the complaint states, saying she remembered him talking to her about the events.
Mr. Wells also contacted Mr. Delancey on Facebook and said, “Hey. I saw your message. I’m sorry this is what happened to you. Who was it?» Mr. Delancey did not respond, according to the complaint.