Former CNN Contributor Scottie Nell Hughes Joins RT America as Anchor

The one-time Fox News guest who sued the network in fall 2017 will take on the late Ed Schultz's role.

Scottie Nell Hughes, a former pro-Trump CNN contributor who sued Fox News and 21st Century Fox in September 2017, claiming she was retaliated against after reporting an incident of sexual assault, has landed a full-time position as an anchor on the Russian government-funded broadcast network RT America.

Hughes will anchor the network's 5 and 8 p.m. ET weeknight newscasts, essentially replacing the late Ed Schultz, who died in July. She's recently served as a guest anchor on the network.

Her deal with the network is "lucrative" and multiyear, according to a source close to the negotiations.

"It’s an honor and privilege to anchor RT America’s weeknight newscasts," Hughes said to The Hollywood Reporter. "Ed Shultz was a dear friend and mentor. I can never fill his shoes, but I’ll do my best to live up to his high standards by reporting the real news, with balance, respect and hopefully a bit of Southern charm.”

"Ms. Hughes has a commanding presence, and we are eager to watch her grow into her new role here," said RT America news director Mikhail Solodovnikov.

Hughes, who guested on Fox News extensively between 2013 and 2016, claimed in her lawsuit that she was punished after reporting Fox Business Network anchor Charles Payne for sexual misconduct and was not awarded the contributor contract she sought. (The network, along with Payne's lawyer, denied the charges and he returned after a suspension.)

In April, a judge allowed a "trimmed" version of her lawsuit to go forward, including just her failure-to-hire and retaliation claims.

In an October 2017 interview, Hughes said she's been effectively blacklisted by conservative media. "I'm dead in the water now," she said at the time. "I can't be touched by any media or any network."

The Daily Beast first reported the possibility of Hughes joining RT.