The plot thickens for Eric Bolling.
First, there were reports by HuffPost that the Fox News host sent an “unsolicited photo of male genitalia” to three colleagues. Fox News then responded earlier this week, suspending Bolling “pending the results of an investigation.” And now, Bolling is hitting back, suing the HuffPost reporter for $50 million.
Read: Fox News Host Eric Bolling Suspended in Harassment Scandal
Yashar Ali, a freelance contributor to HuffPost, shared on Twitter that he received a summons from Bolling, who is suing him for defamation.
Just received a summons. Eric Bolling is suing me for defamation – $50 million in damages. I stand by my reporting + will protect my sources
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) August 9, 2017
According to the summons, Bolling has accused Ali of injuring his reputation through “the intentional and/or highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements about [his] conduct and character.” He is seeking $50 million in reputational, punitive, and monetary damages.
Read: Sheryl Sandberg Says Sexual Harassers Should Be Fired
The suspended Fox News host tweeted out his gratitude for the support he has received in recent days and repeated his intention to to clear his name. Meanwhile, Lydia Polgreen, Editor-in-Chief of HuffPost, defended Ali, noting that the publication “stands by his reporting.” She also reiterated that Ali had 14 sources for his story, calling him a “careful and meticulous reporter.” Nevertheless, the summons targeted the reporter specifically, making no mention of HuffPost.
Despite the attack on the integrity of his reporting and the whopper of a lawsuit, Ali completed his reaction on Twitter by saying that he won’t stop reporting “on Eric Bolling or anyone else. I’ve had family members killed/jailed in Iran, a lawsuit isn’t going to scare me.”
Ali is due in court within 20 days of receipt of the summons.