Something Forced Murdoch’s Hand, I Think It Was Ray Epps Conspiracy

Let’s take out Occam’s Razor, sharpen it up and give it a whirl, shall we? Sometimes the simplest answer to a problem is indeed the right one. In the case of Rupert Murdoch firing Tucker Carlson, here is what we know: the Los Angeles Times is reporting that this decision came directly from Rupert Murdoch and that it is related, in part, to the lawsuit which producer Abby Grossberg has filed against the network.

Carlson’s exit is related to the discrimination lawsuit filed by Abby Grossberg, the producer fired by the network last month, the sources said. Carlson’s senior executive producer Justin Wells has also been terminated, according to insiders.

Grossberg said that she was bullied and subjected to anti-Semitic comments on a regular basis. She also said that she was coerced by Fox lawyers into giving misleading answers in the Dominion case. Now, what if some of the information she was coerced into giving was to protect Tucker Carlson? And what if that was likely to come out at trial? What better thing to do than cut ties with Carlson right now?

And then there’s this: Just last night 60 Minutes aired an interview with Ray Epps, who Carlson has characterized as an FBI plant, although he has no evidence of same. The FBI told 60 Minutes that Epps was “neither a source nor had ever been an employee of the FBI.” That’s plain language. Maybe that was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Murdoch.

In a statement, attorneys for Grossberg suggested her suit was a key factor in Carlson’s exit.

“Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox News is, in part, an admission of the systemic lying, bullying, and conspiracy-mongering claimed by our client, former top producer, Abby Grossberg,” said Tanvir Rahman, one of Grossberg’s attorneys. “Mr. Carlson and his subordinates remain individual defendants in the [Southern District of New York] case and we look forward to taking their depositions under oath in the very near term,”

Murdoch also was said to be concerned about Carlson’s coverage of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The host has promoted the conspiracy theory that it was provoked by government agents, and Carlson has called Ray Epps — a Texas man who participated in the storming of the Capitol but did not enter the building — an FBI plant, without presenting any evidence.

The simplest answer here is this: 1) Grossberg has incriminating evidence against Carlson, which will be revealed at trial. Murdoch knows what that is and has decided to get ahead of the negative story, by firing Carlson. 2) The 60 Minutes piece on Ray Epps was the last straw for Murdoch.

If you haven’t seen the piece, do so. Epps shares the fact that he and his wife are on the run, basically, in their 350 square foot RV, because they had to sell their house in Arizona due to death threats following January 6. In short, Tucker Carlson has ruined this couple’s lives by painting a target on Ray Epps’ back, with no rhyme or reason to do so, other than that it was a good fantasy and got ratings.

I don’t know if Murdoch is having a spasm of conscience but logically, he wouldn’t want to have any more bad press. Firing Carlson may nip a lot of problems in the bud.

The Grossberg trial should be interesting and yield a lot of information.