Maria Bartiromo’s lawyer on Friday said that the Fox News and Fox Business anchor was not fired from the company where she worked for more than 12 years.
“For many years, Maria Bartiromo hosted three No. 1-rated television shows on Fox channels,” said Bryan Freedman, Bartiromo’s attorney.
On Thursday, Fox abruptly announced in a statement that it had parted ways with Bartiromo, without offering any further details or context. The last episode of Bartiromo’s daily Fox Business show aired on Thursday. On Friday, those hours of programming came on the air with the same titles and graphics, but without Bartiromo’s name in them.
“The irresponsible reports that have been published stating that Maria Bartiromo was fired or is no longer an employee of Fox are absolutely and unequivocally false,” Freedman said Friday. “Make no mistake, we have the receipts and witnesses and they will come out whether through the courthouse or otherwise.”
He added: “Those reporting her firing or the incredulous facts supporting that fiction have exhibited a complete and utter reckless disregard for the truth.”
A Fox News Media representative, when asked about Freedman’s statement, said the company’s press release about parting ways with Bartiromo “speaks for itself.”
Before Freedman’s statement, on Thursday night the Status media industry newsletter reported that Bartiromo was fired after she had shared with the White House guidance from Fox management about claims made by President Donald Trump about recent elections. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal also reported later Thursday that she was dismissed after sharing internal Fox communications with the White House. NBC News has not verified those reports.
Immediately following Fox’s announcement on Thursday, Bartiromo’s bio and show pages were wiped from Fox’s websites.
Bartiromo had been Fox Business’ global markets editor since joining the channel in 2014. On Fox Business, she hosted “Mornings with Maria” on weekdays and “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” on Fridays, while also anchoring “Sunday Morning Futures,” a business-focused show on the larger Fox News Channel.
For years, Fox News Media touted Bartiromo’s shows at ratings winners. She joined Fox after a trailblazing 21-year career at CNBC, where she hosted “Closing Bell,” a cornerstone of the business network’s programming.
Bartiromo drew attention for taking a more openly conservative turn in her reporting at Fox after leaving CNBC, where her work had been largely apolitical.
She also became very close to Trump, who appointed her to the board of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. The center’s website still lists her as a board member as of Friday afternoon.
In 2021, Bartiromo’s comments and shows were cited as exhibits in a defamation lawsuit filed by the voting machine maker Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News. Dominion alleged that the cable network operator had knowingly broadcast false claims that Dominion had rigged the 2020 presidential election.
Fox News eventually agreed to pay $787 million in a settlement with Dominion.
Another voting machine firm, Smartmatic, also filed suit against Fox in 2021, naming Bartiromo as a co-defendant. The Smartmatic case is ongoing.
