JUST IN: Fox News Slaps Media Matters With Cease and Desist in Effort to Stop Tucker Carlson Leaks

Fox News has sent a cease and desist letter to Media Matters and its president and CEO Angelo Carusone over a series of stories posted by the liberal watchdog group featuring leaked footage of Tucker Carlson.

Carlson was fired from the network roughly two weeks ago, spawning a litany of theories about why exactly the top-rated prime time host on the network was abruptly let go. Media Matters published several leaked video clips in that vacuum, which Fox News insists is proprietary material.

Legal counsel representing Fox sent the letter to Carusone, which reads as follows:

Dear Mr. Carusone:

We write on behalf of FOX Corporation to clarify any misunderstandings Media Matters may have had regarding previously unaired footage that Media Matters has published in a series of articles headlined “FOXLEAKS.” That unaired footage is FOX’s confidential intellectual property; FOX did not consent to its distribution or publication; and FOX does not consent to its further distribution or publication. This proprietary material was given to you without FOX’s authorization. FOX demands that Media Matters cease and desist from distribution, publication, and misuse of Fox’s misappropriated proprietary footage, which you are now on notice was unlawfully obtained. We reserve all rights and remedies.

Sincerely,

WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI Professional Corporation /s/ Christopher Chiou Christopher Chiou

Since his firing from the network, a steady stream of leaks has provided details and insight behind his firing. The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Daily Beast have all reported on texts from the Dominion defamation case in which Carlson used the “c-word” to refer to a senior Fox executive or made racist comments about how “white men fight.”

Media Matters has published several leaked videos, presented in a damning light, but mostly show Carlson joking around — yes, sometimes inappropriately — in a studio before or after his show has aired live.

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