Fox News sued for ‘outing a gay man’ during $4.5 million battle over reality show

Right-wing news outlet Fox News is facing a lawsuit after allegedly outing a man as gay.

Silas Pierce is suing the Fox News Network, claiming that Fox outed him as gay during a previous lawsuit.

The Fox News Network (FNN) originally went to court during a legal dispute with the production company of the potential reality show.

In 2014, the network arranged for a reality series about a father and son business with production company Leftfield.

Pierce, who runs Tropic Estate Sales in Florida, was cast along with his family which included two sons.

Pierce (R) during an appearance on WFTV’s Action 6 (Photo: WFTV)

During the course of this filming, the network cancelled production of the show due to concerns that Pierce had lied about his family.

Leftfield then began a legal case against Fox for breach of contract, reportedly suing the media giant for $4.5 million.

Initial concerns allegedly arose at Fox after Pierce’s sons referred to him exclusively as Silas, rather than calling him Dad.

Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Similar questions were then asked about Pierce’s wife Barbara, as doubt was cast about her authenticity as well.

According to court documents obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, Fox asked Leftfield for proof that the two young men shown on the show were Pierce’s sons.

The network was told that Pierce was gay and had nine children, two of which were on the show.

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However, this caused the Fox News Network to become even more suspicious, as gay and lesbian people could not adopt in Florida at the time.

Boy walking with two men in a park

(Photo: Creative Commons)

The network then reportedly asked Leftfield for paperwork to prove the sons’ adoption.

Related: Bye, Felicia! Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News pulled off the air in Britain

According to the court documents, the production company claimed that Pierce had legal guardianship over the boys after they had been adopted by his parents prior to their deaths.

However, this was later proved in court to be false, and that Pierce was not the boys’ adopted father or brother.

The documents reportedly state: “Silas had no legal relationship with Matt and AJ whom he falsely claimed to have adopted and that Silas’ parents were not dead but instead very much alive and living in Florida.”

This lawsuit between Fox and Leftfield was settled privately out of court in 2016.

Fox News Studios after the passing of Rodger Ailes
(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Pierce is now suing the Fox News Network and Leftfield for allegedly outing him as gay during these proceedings.

The case, filed last month in Florida’s middle district court, reportedly names former Fox News co-president Bill Shine and the estate of former Fox CEO Roger Ailes as defendants.

Pierce is suing the Fox News Network for publishing private facts, breach of contract and interfering with a business.

He is reportedly seeking damages of at least $15,000.

Fox News has filed a motion to dismiss the case.

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