Carlson wants to speak about Fox News stint

NEW YORK — When Gretchen Carlson heard that NBC News was considering letting people out of their nondisclosure agreements involving alleged sexual misconduct at the network, she couldn’t help but think of the NDA she signed with Fox News before her departure three years ago.

“It would be nice to be able to tell my full story,” Carlson said.

The newswoman said she’s asked to be let out of her NDA and has talked to people who left Fox News with similar settlements about pressing the network to be let out of the agreements.

“Companies are saying that they want to be open and transparent and that they have worked tirelessly to make their work environments safer,” she told The Associated Press. “And if that’s the truth, then they should let us out.”

Carlson got a reported $20 million settlement in 2016 after she sued the network, claiming late Fox News chief Roger Ailes demoted and then fired her when she rejected his sexual advances.

Besides her settlement, she got a public apology, which Carlson said was key: “That usually doesn’t happen when you come to some sort of an agreement. Some would say that that would be an admission of guilt.”

Fox News did not return an email seeking comment.

Carlson’s case predated sexual misconduct allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein by a year. One of the scandal’s revelations was how Weinstein used NDAs to silence women who accused him of abuse. His downfall led to the #MeToo movement that toppled scores of famous and powerful men.

Matt Lauer, the former anchor at the “Today” show, was one of them. He was fired by NBC News in 2017 for sexual misconduct; he denies any wrongdoing. Pulitzer Prize-winner Ronan Farrow detailed more accusations against Lauer and accused the network of thwarting his investigations into Weinstein in his new book “Catch and Kill,” prompting MSNBC host Rachel Maddow to pointedly call on NBC to release people from their NDAs.

NBC said anyone interested in being released from their NDA should reach out to the network and it would consider doing so, but Carlson said that didn’t go far enough.

“It wasn’t completely clear whether or not these former victims can tell all,” Carlson told the AP. “For example, they have to go back and ask permission. And does that mean that they can say some things, but they can’t say other things? So I think there needs to be a little bit more clarification on that.”

Since her departure from Fox, Carlson has become an advocate for women, from writing books like “Be Fierce” to producing and hosting the Lifetime documentary “Breaking the Silence” about sexual harassment this year.

Gretchen Carlson