Eric Bolling responds to sexual harassment allegations and Fox News suspension

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August 7, 2017 10:27 PM

Bolling stands accused of sending photos of male genitalia to multiple women at Fox News and Fox Business Network.

Eric Bolling at Trump Tower in November.

Suspended Fox News host Eric Bolling expressed his gratitude on Monday to his supporters following a sexual harassment scandal that imploded over the weekend.

"Overwhelmed by all the support I have received. Thank you," Bolling wrote, according to Variety. "I look forward to clearing my name asap."

Bolling was suspended from Fox News amid allegations that he sent unsolicited photos of male genitalia several years ago to at least two colleagues at Fox Business Network and at least one colleague at Fox News, Mediaite reported on Saturday. The claims were first reported by HuffPost, which cited a dozen sources.

"Eric Bolling has been suspended pending the results of an investigation, which is currently underway," Fox News said in a statement emailed to Business Insider on Saturday. The probe is being conducted by the law firm Paul Weiss.

The women who made the allegations against Bolling are either current or previous Fox employees who, when they received the messages, told colleagues they were very "upsetting" and "offensive." One woman said that when she replied to Bolling's text and told him never to send her photos like that again, he didn't reply back.

When HuffPost contacted Fox on Friday, a spokesperson told the outlet, "We were just informed of this and plan to investigate the matter."

Former Fox News contributor Caroline Heldman weighed in about Bolling after HuffPost's report and said in a Facebook post that she was surprised the allegations were coming out now, alleging that Bolling's behavior had been "wildly inappropriate for years."

Heldman spoke of how Bolling called her "Dr. McHottie" on the air several times and said she was "smart, beautiful and wrong" twice. She also alleged that Bolling told her he wanted to fly her out to New York for "in-studio hits and to have 'fun.'"

"Once, he took me up to his office in New York, showed me his baseball jerseys, and in the brief time I was there, let me know that his office was his favorite place to have sex," Heldman wrote.

When he was asked whether Bolling had ever sent any unsolicited or inappropriate messages to his colleagues at either Fox News or Fox Business, Bolling's attorney, Michael J. Bowe, said, "Mr. Bolling recalls no such inappropriate communications, does not believe he sent any such communications, and will vigorously pursue his legal remedies for any false and defamatory accusations that are made."

Before getting a spot on "Fox News Specialists," Bolling was a co-host on the popular evening program, "The Five." He is an avid defender of President Donald Trump and has frequently drawn praise from the president. While Bolling's suspension is in effect, rotating substitute hosts will be in place on The Specialists, as well as on Bolling's weekend segment, "Cashin' In."

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