Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
In a riveting development, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who was removed from the network two weeks ago, announced his plan to bring a new version of his show to Twitter. On the surface, the move could potentially violate his contract with Fox, however, a letter submitted by his lawyers suggests that Fox breached the contract first, accusing the network of fraud and contract breach.
In response to Carlson’s announcement, Elon Musk took to Twitter to emphasize the platform’s interactive nature, allowing people to engage, critique, and counter any statements made.
He clarified that no deal had been signed with Carlson, who is subject to the same rules and rewards as all content creators on Twitter.
Frustrated by the constraints of his contract, Carlson has considered mobilizing allies to pressure Fox into allowing him to work for or establish a right-wing rival. His contract, which lasts until January 2025, prevents him from starting a competing show as long as Fox continues to pay him. Despite these limitations, Carlson has received attractive offers from several right-wing outlets and has explored potential collaboration with Elon Musk.
The letter from Carlson’s lawyers accuses Fox employees, including Rupert Murdoch, of deliberately breaking promises made to Carlson, constituting fraud. The letter also alleges that Fox violated agreements by leaking Carlson’s private communications to the media and using them for adverse employment action against him.
Fox News has categorically denied that Carlson’s departure was part of the network’s $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. As the situation evolves, Carlson’s lawyers intend to subpoena Fox’s communications and PR chief, Irena Briganti, for her cell phone records and related documents. Fox News has been instructed to preserve all existing documents and data concerning its relationship with Carlson.
The high-stakes standoff between Tucker Carlson and Fox News continues to escalate, with observers eagerly anticipating further developments.