Fox News says Tucker Carlson breached his contract

[zuul]

https://www.axios.com/2023/06/07/fox-news-tucker-carlson-contract-breach

Fox News Wednesday notified Tucker Carlson's lawyers that the former prime-time anchor violated his contract with the network when he launched his own Twitter show on Tuesday, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: A breach of contract claim sets Fox News up to explore potential legal action against Carlson, a move that would intensify the already thorny public battle between the two parties. Carlson’s lawyers told Axios that any legal action by Fox would violate his First Amendment rights.

“Fox defends its very existence on freedom of speech grounds. Now they want to take Tucker Carlson’s right to speak freely away from him because he took to social media to share his thoughts on current events," said Carlson's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, in a statement to Axios.

Carlson was ousted from Fox News in April following a record $757 million defamation settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, which sued the network for making false claims about the company. Carlson, Axios reported, has since accused Fox of fraud and has argued that Fox breached his contract when its senior executives reneged on promises made to Carlson "intentionally and with reckless disregard for the truth." Carlson's lawyers also argued Fox broke its promise to Carlson not to settle with Dominion Voting Systems "in a way which would indicate wrongdoing" on the part of the former host.

Axios previously reported that Carlson was told by a member of the Fox board that he was taken off the air as part of the Dominion settlement, two sources briefed on the conversation told Axios.

[Ohio Joe]

1. Old Tuckems and faux going to war?

Cool

[nolabear]

2. In the words of Stephanie Miller

“Fight! Fight! Fight! Big bag o’ rats!”

[bluesbassman]

5. In this case, meth addicted rats.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. Tucker's OK with minimum wage fast food workers signing Non-Compete Agreements, but not him?

[localroger]

6. Tuckums doesn't have a non-compete. They're still paying him.

He has a simple employment contract, which he voluntarily signed. While they aren't putting on the air they are still paying out his contract and that constrains him to all the things he agreed to while on the air, such as not going on the air for another entity. Non-competes constrain you after you leave employment when you're not being paid any more, and the argument is that nobody would sign one of those if there wasn't some coercive pressure involved.

[Liberal In Texas]

8. Absolutely correct.

I'm wondering though, if his contract doesn't have a non-compete in it that would be in force for a period of time after the expiration of the employment part of the contract.

[localroger]

10. I would tend to doubt it

People get their contracts paid out and jump ship all the time in that industry. I'd guess Tuck was expecting them to just hand him his $20 mil or whatever and bid adieu, but they said no, your contract is for x years, we'll pay you over x years and you'll lie low so we can try to forget you exist. And he didn't like that because he doesn't want to be forgotten.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. The "find out" phase!

[Liberal In Texas]

7. He started a show. Not just some ravings on the Twitr. He violated his contract.

At the very least he may lose his FOX paycheck and probably other benefits like his medical insurance.

He's an idiot.

[Hekate]

9. World's teeniest tiniest violin orchestra tunes up,,,