Megyn Kelly tells NBC to come clean, release Matt Lauer accusers from confidentiality agreements

(Image: Fox News screenshot)

Former NBC host Megyn Kelly is calling on the network to hold an “outside investigation” of Matt Lauer and release “any and all” of his accusers from confidentiality agreements.

Kelly appeared at her old Fox News stomping grounds Wednesday, speaking to former colleague Tucker Carlson about NBC and its handling of the sexual misconduct claims against former host Matt Lauer.

(Video: Fox News)

Covering the allegations made in former NBC reporter Ronan Farrow’s new book “Catch and Kill,” Kelly spoke on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” about accusations that NBC blocked Farrow’s reporting on Harvey Weinstein and covered up for Lauer, who was fired in 2017.

Kelly, who was making her first Fox News appearance since leaving the network in 2017, had called for an outside investigation of the allegations made against NBC shortly before she left that network last year amid controversy over her comments on blackface.

She recounted speaking to Weinstein’s victims and “getting to the bottom of what NBC knew while I was there” while discussing Farrow’s claims that NBC paid out several settlements in order to silence Lauer’s accusers – accusations that NBC has denied.

“That’s a legal sleight-of-hand,” Kelly told Carlson. “You can get paid out as a sexual harassment victim in something other than a settlement. You can get what’s called ‘enhanced severance.’ That’s the situation where the receptionist is suddenly getting a seven-figure goodbye.”

She argued that the network needs to come clean about the payouts.

“The number one thing that needs to happen now is they need to release any and all Matt Lauer accusers from their confidentiality agreements,” she said. “NBC says it has nothing to hide. Great. Let’s not hide anything.”

“Show us all of the agreements, the enhanced severance agreements that were reached or at least the numbers, so we can see which ones pop out and which ones were super high. Are they all women? Do they all have a connection with Matt Lauer?” Kelly continued.  “And number two, release the women from their confidentiality obligations.”

Carlson asked about the disparity between NBC’s handling of Farrow’s reporting while MSNBC host Chris Hayes has recently defended the journalist on the air.

“In Farrow’s view, he was unable to break through what was effectively a conspiracy of silence from NBC News management,” Hayes said on “All In” Monday.

“He’s saying essentially what you said, which is he doesn’t trust the management at NBC News,” Carlson said to Kelly, referring to Hayes. “Given your experience, do you think he’s in jeopardy of being fired?”

“No comment on that,” Kelly answered. “I will say the question is open as to whether they put dollars ahead of decency. If they were more interested in protecting their star anchor than protecting the women of the company.”

“What Ronan is suggesting is that they covered up for one sexual predator, Harvey Weinstein, in order to protect another, Matt Lauer,” she said. “They deny all of it and NBC has put out several statements saying that Ronan is a conspiracy theorist and this is all nonsense and he’s got an ax to grind. But if that’s true and there’s nothing to hide, then get an outside investigator.”

“There needs to be an outside investigation into this company,” she added. “They investigated themselves. That doesn’t work. Fox News had an outside investigator. CBS News had an outside investigator. NPR, the NFL. This is how it’s done.”

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