Ex-One America News Network Producer Awarded $290K in Discrimination Suit
‘CONDUCT WITH MALICE’
An African-American man who alleged in a lawsuit that he was fired from his producer role at right-wing One America News Network (OANN) after being harassed over his race was awarded $290,000 in damages. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jonathan Harris filed the lawsuit in 2018 against Graham Ledger—host of a talk show on the network—and Robert Herring Sr., the founder of OANN and the CEO of parent company Herring Network Inc. Harris claimed he was fired because of his race and was harassed at OANN for his race and his left-leaning political views. The San Diego Superior Court jury did not find that Harris was fired because of his race but concluded that Harris’ complaint about race-based harassment motivated his dismissal. The jury also found that OANN didn’t “take all reasonable steps to prevent the harassment, or discrimination, or retaliation” against Harris and said Ledger and the network engaged in “conduct with malice, oppression or fraud” toward the former employee. Harris’ lawyer has not spoken publicly on the matter.