Former Fox News guest Debbie Schlussel claims that host Sean Hannity sexually harassed her — an accusation that Hannity vehemently denies.
Schlussel, who has frequently written about Hannity on her personal blog, said on the Pat Campbell Podcast Friday that Hannity repeatedly invited her back to his hotel room during an event they were at together in Detroit. Schlussel did not say on the podcast when the event took place.
“He had some event at a bookstore where he signed his book for people standing in line. He asked me to come meet him at this book signing,” Schlussel said on the podcast.
“So I met him there and it was very awkward. He had me stand up there with him while he signed books and I felt very weird. These people don’t know me and they didn’t come for me to sign their books. So then I left to get ready for the show and he said, ‘Why don’t you come back with me to my hotel?’ and I said no, I have to get ready for the show.”
Schlussel, who describes herself as a “conservative political commentator, radio talk show host, columnist and attorney” on her personal website, also said Hannity and then-executive producer Bill Shine, who now serves as co-president of Fox News, “head-faked” her.
“Sean came up to me and said we’re gonna double-team, which was a weird phrase to use, this Palestinian guy that I was up against on the show,” Schlussel said.
“And then every time I tried to open my mouth and say something, they yelled at me and said, ‘obey your host, you can’t say anything or else we’re gonna shut off your microphone.'”
After the show, Schlussel claims Hannity invited her back to his hotel room again. She says she declined once again.
“And then after that, I wasn’t booked on a show again. And he called me and yelled at me,” she said on the podcast. “It was made clear to me that I didn’t go back to his hotel with him after and I got a very weird feeling about the whole thing, and I kind of knew I wouldn’t be back on his show.”
In a statement to the Daily News, Hannity denied the accusations.
“LET ME BE CLEAR THE COMMENTS ABOUT ME ON A RADIO SHOW THIS WEEK by this individual ARE 100% false and a complete fabrication. This individual is a serial harasser who has been lying about me for well over a decade. The individual has a history of making provably false statements against me in an effort to slander, smear and besmirch my reputation,” he said.
“The individual has not just slandered me over the years but many people who this individual disagrees with. This individual desperately seeks attention by any means necessary, including making unfounded personal attacks and using indefensible and outrageous political rhetoric.”
“My patience with this individual is over. I have retained a team of some of the finest and toughest lawyers in the country who are now in the process of laying out the legal course of action we will be taking against this individual.”
Hannity also threatened legal action against Schlussel.
“In this fiercely divided and vindictive political climate I will no longer allow slander and lies about me to go unchallenged, as I see a coordinated effort afoot to now silence those with conservative views,” he said. “I will fight every single lie about me by all legal means available to me as an American.”
Schlussel previously accused the Fox News anchor’s Freedom Concerts charity, which raised money for military families, of being a scam.
“Less than 20% – and in two recent years, less than 7% and 4%, respectively – of the money raised by Freedom Alliance went to these causes, while millions of dollars went to expenses, including consultants and apparently to ferry the Hannity posse of family and friends in high style,” she wrote in a 2010 blog post.
The Freedom Alliance disputed the allegations and revealed that the organization spent $6,745,717 in 2008 and $7,064,839 in 2006.
“Freedom Alliance has never provided planes, hotels, cars, limos or anything else to Sean. Sean gets nothing from Freedom Alliance except our gratitude for his personal generosity and for all he has done to help the troops and our organization,” the group said in a letter acquired by The News.
“We have never had to ask Sean for anything, he always generously offers his help before we have a chance to ask him. But to be clear Sean pays for all his own transportation, hotels and all related expenses for himself and his family and friends and staff, which over the years has added up to tens of thousands of dollars. He does not use any Freedom Alliance Funds or Concert funds in any way, period.”
In 2007, Schlussel accused Hannity of plagiarizing from her column.
Her sexual harassment accusation comes just days after Fox News host Bill O’Reilly was fired after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and racial discrimination from former female co-workers, following the revelation that he and the network had paid more than $13 million in settlements to five women.
Schlussel did not immediately return a request for comment.
