Judge Dismisses Former Fox News Reporter’s Lawsuit

Lawsuit Dismissed

A federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit brought against Fox News by Jason Donner, a reporter who said the network fired him after he spoke out against its coverage of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Donner, who worked as a reporter and producer at Fox News for 12 years, said in his lawsuit that he had repeatedly raised concerns to his bosses about Fox’s amplification of false claims about the election and the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He said he was fired in September 2022 after calling in sick for the day, and he claimed retaliation and workplace discrimination.

Judge’s Ruling

Judge Amir H. Ali of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted summary judgment in favor of Fox on Donner’s retaliation claim under the District of Columbia’s Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act.

The judge found that Donner had not notified his manager as early as possible that he was sick. The ruling said Fox had not unlawfully fired him for taking a sick day.

The dismissal means Donner failed to prove his claims that the network retaliated against him or discriminated against him in connection with his firing.