- Sources told an LA Times reporter that Rupert Murdoch himself made the decision to fire Tucker Carlson.
- Murdoch fired him for two reasons, these sources say.
Tucker Carlson and Fox News parted ways earlier on Monday. Now differing reports are emerging as to why — and who made the decision.
People familiar with the situation told Stephen Battaglio of the Los Angeles Times that Rupert Murdoch himself made the call and that he did it for two reasons.
Murdoch was responding to a suit filed against Carlson and other executives by a former producer named Abby Grossberg that alleged: "a work environment that subjugates women based on vile sexist stereotypes."
Murdoch was tired of Tucker Carlson's conspiracy theories about the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol.
In her complaint against Fox News, Grossberg said she "was isolated, overworked, undervalued, denied opportunities for promotion, and generally treated significantly worse than her male counterparts, even when those men were less qualified than her."
Grossberg also said that Fox News withheld evidence in Dominion's defamation case against the cable network.
Fox News has previously called Grossberg's suit, "riddled with false allegations against the network and our employees."
Carlson's already notorious coverage of the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol got an even tougher look over the weekend, when "60 Minutes" published its interview with Ray Epps. Conspiracy theorists on the right blame Epps, a 61-year-old Marine veteran and former business owner, for provoking the riots. Epps, a former Trump supporter, was in Washington, DC, on the day of the Capitol riot, but has denied going into the Capitol and has not been charged.
Carlson has given a loud voice to these claims, and Epps has since gone into hiding. He says Carlson is "obsessed" with him and was "going to any means possible to destroy my life."
The documentary featuring the conspiracy theory about Epps is still available on Fox Nation as of Monday evening. Clips about Epps from Carlson's show are also still on Fox News's official YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Axios are reporting that Rupert's son, Lachlan Murdoch, the CEO of Fox Corporation, and Fox News's CEO Suzanne Scott made the call.
The Post, citing an anonymous source, reported that Carlson's communications unearthed by the Dominion lawsuit are part of the reason for his departure.
Less than one week ago, Fox News settled with Dominion Voting Systems in the election technology company's defamation suit against the network for $787.5 million. As part of discovery in that lawsuit, communications between Fox staffers, some of which were asked to remain redacted by Fox attorneys, were released.
Fox News has not addressed the specific reasons the network and Carlson parted ways, saying in a Monday morning statement: "FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor."
Carlson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Editor's note, April 24: This story has been updated to include recent reporting from Axios, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.