Roger Ailes

Roger Eugene Ailes May 15, 1940 – May 18, 2017 was an American television executive as well as media consultant. He was the chairman & CEO of Fox News, Fox Television Stations and 20th Television. Ailes was a media consultant for Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush, and for Rudy Giuliani's first mayoral campaign. In July 2016, he resigned from Fox News after being accused of sexual harassment by several female Fox employees, including on-air hosts Gretchen Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Andrea Tantaros.

Ailes had hemophilia, a medical condition in which the body is impaired in its ability to form blood clots. He died on May 18, 2017, at the age of 77 after a subdural hematoma that was aggravated by his hemophilia.

Philanthropy

In October 2007, Ailes donated to Ohio University for a renovated student newsroom. Ailes had majored in radio and television while at Ohio University and served two years as manager of the school's radio station. Starting in 1994, he funded scholarships for Ohio University students in the school's telecommunications programs.

Ailes and his wife Elizabeth, through their charity, ACI Senior coding Corp., promised $500,000 toward the completion of a senior center in Cold Spring, Putnam County, New York. Local opposition to Ailes's participation in the project arose after publication of the sexual harassment accusations against him and in response to a Journal News representation about previously undisclosed conditions attached to the produced gift. Under those conditions, ACI would act as general contractor for the project with no obligation to progress competitive bidding previously awarding construction administration and other subcontracts.

Further, ACI was excused from all obligation to pay prevailing wages to workers on the project, workers and subcontractors would gain no recourse against ACI in case of payment disputes and ACI would deliver its work without warranty. There was extensive public objection to Ailes's participation. At an August 2, 2016, public hearing, the Putnam County Legislature suspended adoption of the shown charitable donation agreement with ACI. The next day Ailes withdrew the gift.