Megyn Kelly is taking her former network and mentor to task.
The ex-Fox News anchor, now with NBC, blasted the network's handling of sexual harassment _ especially surrounding Bill O'Reilly _ during Monday's episode of "Megyn Kelly Today."
"This must stop," she said, staring directly into the camera. "The abuse of women, the shaming of them, the threatening, the retaliation. The silencing of them after-the-fact."
Kelly says she complained to Fox News about O'Reilly nearly a year ago, but network executives turned a deaf ear to her pleas.
O'Reilly has since been fired _ but a New York Times report revealed that Fox was aware the shamed "O'Reilly Factor" host made a $32 million sexual harassment settlement when it resigned him in February to a four-year renewal worth $100 million.
The longtime ratings kingpin made his first public statement Monday since the report ran, calling it "a hit job to get me out of the marketplace" during an appearance on Glenn Beck's radio show.
O'Reilly said he handled just three human resources complaints during more than 20 years at Fox News, accusing the New York Times of disregarding information he sent to the newspaper.
"And the only reason I did solve them was to keep my children safe," said O'Reilly, who also sent the conservative pundit thank you notes from Kelly and former anchor Gretchen Carlson _ who sued then-network chief Roger Ailes last year for sexual harassment.
"O'Reilly's suggestion that no one ever complained about his behavior is false," the NBC News anchor said Monday on her "Megyn Kelly Today." "I know because I complained."
Kelly recounted for the first time how she emailed then-Fox News Co-Presidents Bill Shine and Jack Abernethy last November after O'Reilly lambasted her on "CBS This Morning" for including a chapter about harassment at Fox News in her recently published memoir.
"I'm not interested in basically litigating something that is finished that makes my network look bad," O'Reilly said during the Nov. 15, 2016 appearance.
Kelly, who previously said longtime Fox News Chair Roger Ailes sexually harassed her, told the executives O'Reilly's remarks sent the wrong kind of message _ considering he'd apparently just settled a sexual harassment suit.
"Perhaps it's his own history of harassment of women which has, as you both know, resulted in payouts to more than one woman, including recently, that blinded him to the folly of saying anything other than 'I am just so sorry for the women of this company who never should have had to go through that,'" Kelly said in an excerpt of the newly released email.
Shine, who was fired from Fox News in early May, emailed Kelly back to say executives would deal with O'Reilly.
"By 8 p.m that night O'Reilly had apparently been dealt with," Kelly said Monday during the somber opening of her show. "And by that I mean he was permitted, with management's advance notice and blessing, to go on the air and attack the company's harassment victims yet again."
Kelly said the harassment wasn't unique to Fox News, and credited the network with making some changes since Ailes' departure in July 2016. He died this May.
But she condemned O'Reilly, who's said no one filed a human resources complaint with him over his 20 years at the network. He was let go in April after mounting pressure to drop him amid reports he'd settled five lawsuits for a combined $13 million.
The New York Times reported Saturday that O'Reilly paid out a sixth settlement worth $32 million to former analyst Lis Wiehl, who said he would send her lewd messages and was forced into a relationship with O'Reilly.
O'Reilly also settled a lawsuit leveled by ex-Fox News reporter Juliet Huddy, who appeared on "Megyn Kelly Today" on Monday.
Huddy, who was reportedly paid a high six-figure amount, said suing a major entity like Fox News was a daunting, difficult decision.
She declined to discuss the settlement, however, because of a non-disclosure agreement she was forced to sign.
"I think many women go into the settlement agreement because they just don't want to face what potentially could be coming at them," she said. "Again, you are dealing with a corporation filled with people who are going to do everything they possibly came to make sure they win, and you don't."
She, her lawyer and Kelly also said Fox News' public relations head Irena Briganti would regularly run smear campaigns against past accusers.
Parent company 21st Century Fox said in a statement it's "taken concerted action to transform Fox News, including installing new leaders, overhauling management and on-air talent, expanding training, and increasing the channels through which employees can report harassment or discrimination."
"These changes come from the top, with (Co-Chairman) Lachlan and (CEO) James Murdoch personally leading the effort to promote civility and respect on the job, while maintaining the Company's long-held commitment to a diverse, inclusive and creative workplace."
