Fox News producer was Forced to Spy on Maria Bartiromo, who execs called 'crazy,' 'menopausal,' and 'hysterical,' new lawsuit says
In a discrimination lawsuit filed Monday against
Fox News and several of its executives, a former producer at the network said the "poisonous and entrenched patriarchy" at the network allows for the abuse of female staff.
Abby Grossberg said
in her lawsuit that she witnessed hostile workplace behavior toward host Maria Bartiromo. Grossberg accused Fox executives of forcing her to spy on the host of "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo" and report back to executives about
her behavior.
Grossberg said Fox executives called Bartiromo names behind the scenes. One producer, the suit says, called Bartiromo "crazy," "menopausal," and said she often became "hysterical," while another described her as a "diva."
A third called Bartiromo a "crazy bitch," per Grossberg.
Ralph Giordano, vice president of news coverage at Fox Business Network, "used his position of power to coerce Ms. Grossberg into spying on Ms. Bartiromo," according to Grossberg's complaint.
Specifically, after the producer was chastised for failing to run a disclaimer about Dominion's denial that its voting system had changed votes in the 2020 election before a segment railing against the company, Giordano told Grossberg he would give her a chance at "a clean start" as long as she reported back to him regarding Bartiromo's activities.
Giordano wasn't the only executive to pit the female staff against each other, Grossberg's lawyers argue in the filing. Jerry Andrews, vice president of weekend news at Fox News Media, is also said to have also requested Grossberg spy on the host.
Fox News producer was forced to spy on Maria Bartiromo, who execs called 'crazy,' 'menopausal,' and 'hysterical,' new lawsuit says