Scottie Nell Hughes accuses Fox News host of rape in new federal lawsuit

Well-known Trump surrogate and Tennessee conservative Scottie Nell Hughes says she was repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by Fox News host Charles Payne, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday in New York.

The lawsuit by Hughes, a Hendersonville resident, comes months after Payne said the two had an affair. Hughes did not return a message seeking comment.

Payne has previously denied harassing Hughes.

“That is an ugly lie I vehemently deny to my core," Payne tweeted in July. "There is a mountain of proof that also proves it's a lie."

Payne’s attorney, Jonathan Halpern, a partner at the Chicago law firm Foley & Lardner LLP, said Payne “vehemently denies any wrongdoing and will defend himself vigorously against this baseless complaint. We are confident that when the evidence is presented in this case, Mr. Payne will be fully vindicated and these outrageous accusations against him will be confirmed as completely false.”

In the lawsuit, first reported by The New York Times, Hughes says she was initially raped by Payne in July 2013.

"Payne sexually assaulted and raped Ms. Hughes. Despite her clear refusal of his advances and telling him 'no' and to 'stop,' Payne forced her to engage in sexual intercourse against her will," the lawsuit states.

“The latest publicity stunt of a lawsuit filed by (Hughes' attorney) Doug Wigdor has absolutely no merit and is downright shameful," a Fox News spokesperson said in a statement. "We will vigorously defend this. It’s worth noting that Doug is Ms. Hughes’ third representative in the last six months to raise some variation of these claims which concern events from four years ago, since it apparently took some time to find someone willing to file this bogus case.”

Hughes appeared on several Fox programs from 2013 to 2016, according to the lawsuit. She says she would have faced professional repercussions had she refused Payne's advances, according to the lawsuit.

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Earlier this year Hughes’ agent was told by a colleague that Hughes allegedly had an affair with someone at Fox and networks were being directed to no longer book her for appearances, according to the lawsuit.

In addition to being blacklisted from appearing on various networks, Hughes, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, states in the lawsuit she was subsequently removed from consideration for a role in the administration.

Fox News has been embattled in several allegations of sexual harassment and impropriety in the last year. Longtime chief executive and network founder Roger Ailes resigned from his position in July 2016 amid accusations of sexual harassment.

In September 2016, the network paid former host Gretchen Carlson $20 million to settle her claims of harassment by Ailes. In her 2016 autobiography, former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly said she was sexually harassed by Ailes during her time at the network.

Ailes died in March.

In April, the station ousted Bill O’Reilly after an investigation into his own sexual harassment.

Most recently, anchor Eric Bolling was suspended amid an ongoing investigation into inappropriate photos sent to co-workers.

Hughes accuses Fox News of leaking her name to the National Enquirer after her manager did not fully cooperate with a Fox News attorney, according to the lawsuit. The Fox News attorney called the manager after Hughes' manager contacted an outside firm investigating several allegations of sexual harassment at the network.

"No rationale female employee would dare to report sexual assault by a senior male employee if she knew that Fox's response would involve leaking her name to a national tabloid, along with a contrived depiction of underlying events, meant to debase the female employee and protect the male perpetrator," the lawsuit states.

Hughes names Fox, Payne and two other Fox employees in the lawsuit. The lawsuit does not include a specific amount of monetary damages sought.

Hughes, 37, has not ruled out a run for elected office in Tennessee.

USA Today contributed to this report.