According to Tantaros, Brown made the comments while appearing on Tantaros’ show Outnumbered in August 2015. During the appearance Brown allegedly told Tantaros that it “would be fun to go to a nightclub” with her. The lawsuit indicates that Brown made the suggestion “in a suggestive manner.” The Boston Globe reports that in addition to the comments, the lawsuit accuses Brown of touching her:
“After the show was over, Brown snuck up behind Tantaros while she was purchasing lunch and put his hands on her lower waist,” the lawsuit says. “She immediately pulled back, telling Brown to ‘stop.’”
In the suit, Tantaros says that she reported Brown’s behavior to Fox boss Bill Shine. She says she asked Shine to ensure that Brown no longer appeared on Outnumbered, a request that the lawsuit claims Shine ignored. Accordingly, Brown continued to be a regular guest on the show which, according to Fox’s website, features “four female panelists and #OneLuckyGuy” who “tackle top headlines from all angles and perspectives.”
Brown quickly denied the allegations. He told the Globe that he was “professional and cordial,” adding that he doesn’t go to nightclubs. On Twitter, Brown also denied Tantaros’ allegations, calling them “fabricated.” Brown also referenced his childhood abuse. In his 2011 autobiography, Against All Odds, the former senator recounted sexual abuse by a summer camp counselor when he was ten-years-old.
Brown later reiterated his position in an interview with the conservative radio program, the Howie Carr Show. “I [have never] touched Andrea Tantaros except to shake her hand and say good morning,” he said. Brown speculated that Tantaros added his name to the lawsuit to “back up her claim that there was some type of playboy atmosphere.” Throughout the interview, Brown again denied Tantaros’ allegations against both him and Fox News. He also returned to the seriousness of Tantaros’ claims and his history as a sexual abuse survivor. When Carr asked Brown what his wife thought about the suit, Brown responded:
“She knows I was sexually abused as a kid and these things are pretty personal and I take those types of sexual innuendo and all that stuff pretty seriously and don’t perpetuate that kind of narrative.”
