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Former Fox News executive Bill Shine has been named to a top position on President Trump's communications team. (Photo: Reuters)
'Sickening': Bill Shine Goes From Covering Up Sexual Harassment at Fox News to Trump's White House
"Abusers and their enablers love hiring each other."
Jul 05, 2018
While President Donald Trump's appointment of former Fox News executive Bill Shine to a top communications role was unsurprising to critics, many denounced the selection as the latest signal that the president holds contempt for the concerns of women.
As the right-wing news outlet's co-president, Shine allegedly helped to cover up the sexual harassment faced by many women at the network at the hands of powerful men including TV host Bill O'Reilly and CEO Roger Ailes. According to former Fox News personalities Julie Roginsky and Andrea Tantaros, Shine was dismissive of accusations against Ailes, helped to arrange meetings between Ailes and women he had sexually harassed, and suppressed reports of misconduct.
"For years, Bill Shine actively covered up Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly's sexual misconduct at Fox News, created and fostered a toxic work environment at the network, and actively retaliated against women who reported their abuse," Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of UltraViolet, said last month as the White House was weighing Shine's possible new role.
MSNBC's Chris Hayes suggested on Twitter that Shine's entry into politics must give the public he's purported to serve the right to information about his time at Fox. Shine was ousted from the network last year and has denied the allegations against him.
Shine will work as an assistant to the president and as deputy chief of staff for communications.
Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by at least 16 women--and has been recorded bragging about such conduct. He is also currently considering at least two potential Supreme Court nominees who have expressed opposition to abortion rights, has terminated the White House Council on Women and Girls, and has publicly derided a number of female journalists on the basis of their looks.
Other critics noted that Shine's hiring is the latest direct link between Trump's White House and Fox News--of which the president reportedly watches several hours per day.
"In tapping Shine, Trump is effectively solidifying the idea that Fox News is state-run TV--a political sandbox where Trump floats his dumbest ideas in the morning, tweeting back and forth with the hosts of Fox & Friends, and then gets to hear his moronic ramblings echoed back to him at night as received wisdom," wrote Bess Levin at Vanity Fair.
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While President Donald Trump's appointment of former Fox News executive Bill Shine to a top communications role was unsurprising to critics, many denounced the selection as the latest signal that the president holds contempt for the concerns of women.
As the right-wing news outlet's co-president, Shine allegedly helped to cover up the sexual harassment faced by many women at the network at the hands of powerful men including TV host Bill O'Reilly and CEO Roger Ailes. According to former Fox News personalities Julie Roginsky and Andrea Tantaros, Shine was dismissive of accusations against Ailes, helped to arrange meetings between Ailes and women he had sexually harassed, and suppressed reports of misconduct.
"For years, Bill Shine actively covered up Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly's sexual misconduct at Fox News, created and fostered a toxic work environment at the network, and actively retaliated against women who reported their abuse," Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of UltraViolet, said last month as the White House was weighing Shine's possible new role.
MSNBC's Chris Hayes suggested on Twitter that Shine's entry into politics must give the public he's purported to serve the right to information about his time at Fox. Shine was ousted from the network last year and has denied the allegations against him.
Shine will work as an assistant to the president and as deputy chief of staff for communications.
Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by at least 16 women--and has been recorded bragging about such conduct. He is also currently considering at least two potential Supreme Court nominees who have expressed opposition to abortion rights, has terminated the White House Council on Women and Girls, and has publicly derided a number of female journalists on the basis of their looks.
Other critics noted that Shine's hiring is the latest direct link between Trump's White House and Fox News--of which the president reportedly watches several hours per day.
"In tapping Shine, Trump is effectively solidifying the idea that Fox News is state-run TV--a political sandbox where Trump floats his dumbest ideas in the morning, tweeting back and forth with the hosts of Fox & Friends, and then gets to hear his moronic ramblings echoed back to him at night as received wisdom," wrote Bess Levin at Vanity Fair.
While President Donald Trump's appointment of former Fox News executive Bill Shine to a top communications role was unsurprising to critics, many denounced the selection as the latest signal that the president holds contempt for the concerns of women.
As the right-wing news outlet's co-president, Shine allegedly helped to cover up the sexual harassment faced by many women at the network at the hands of powerful men including TV host Bill O'Reilly and CEO Roger Ailes. According to former Fox News personalities Julie Roginsky and Andrea Tantaros, Shine was dismissive of accusations against Ailes, helped to arrange meetings between Ailes and women he had sexually harassed, and suppressed reports of misconduct.
"For years, Bill Shine actively covered up Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly's sexual misconduct at Fox News, created and fostered a toxic work environment at the network, and actively retaliated against women who reported their abuse," Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of UltraViolet, said last month as the White House was weighing Shine's possible new role.
MSNBC's Chris Hayes suggested on Twitter that Shine's entry into politics must give the public he's purported to serve the right to information about his time at Fox. Shine was ousted from the network last year and has denied the allegations against him.
Shine will work as an assistant to the president and as deputy chief of staff for communications.
Trump himself has been accused of sexual misconduct and assault by at least 16 women--and has been recorded bragging about such conduct. He is also currently considering at least two potential Supreme Court nominees who have expressed opposition to abortion rights, has terminated the White House Council on Women and Girls, and has publicly derided a number of female journalists on the basis of their looks.
Other critics noted that Shine's hiring is the latest direct link between Trump's White House and Fox News--of which the president reportedly watches several hours per day.
"In tapping Shine, Trump is effectively solidifying the idea that Fox News is state-run TV--a political sandbox where Trump floats his dumbest ideas in the morning, tweeting back and forth with the hosts of Fox & Friends, and then gets to hear his moronic ramblings echoed back to him at night as received wisdom," wrote Bess Levin at Vanity Fair.
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