O’Reilly Sexual Harassment Suit Settled
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Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly and one of his show’s producers have agreed to settle their legal dispute in which she accused him of sexual harassment and he accused her of extortion, Mr. O’Reilly’s lawyer said yesterday.
“This brutal ordeal is now officially over, and I will never speak of it again,” Mr. O’Reilly said yesterday on his talk show, “The O’Reilly Factor.”
Andrea Mackris, 33, who was a producer on “The O’Reilly Factor,” filed a lawsuit against the top-rated television host on October 13, alleging he repeatedly subjected her to off-color sex remarks and telephone sex talk.
Earlier that day, Mr. O’Reilly, 55 and married with two children, had filed a lawsuit in Nassau County accusing Ms. Mackris and her lawyer, Benedict Morelli, of trying to extort $60 million from him and Fox to keep her sex harassment charges to herself.
Late yesterday, Mr. O’Reilly’s lawyer, Ronald Green, issued a statement saying both sides “regret that this matter has caused tremendous pain, and they have agreed to settle.”
“All cases and claims have been withdrawn and all parties have agreed that there was no wrongdoing whatsoever by Mr. O’Reilly, Ms. Mackris or Ms. Mackris’ counsel, Benedict P. Morelli & Associates,” Mr. Green said.
Mr. Green’s statement also said he and Mr. O’Reilly “withdraw any assertion that any extortion by Ms. Mackris, Mr. Morelli” or his law firm occurred.
Ms. Mackris’s lawyer didn’t immediately return several telephone calls seeking comment yesterday.
Several days after filing her sexual harassment suit, Ms. Mackris filed amended court papers, claiming that Fox had violated her rights under New York state law by firing her after she complained about being sexually harassed.
Fox denied Ms. Mackris had been fired, saying she had simply stopped coming to work. A spokeswoman for Fox would not say whether Ms. Mackris is still on Fox’s payroll.
Mr. Green’s statement about the settlement did not mention money, and it could not be learned immediately whether it was a factor.
“Out of respect for their families and privacy, all parties and their representatives have agreed that all information relating to the cases shall remain confidential,” Mr. Green’s statement said.