Don Lemon's Accuser Calls CNN a 'Predator-Protecting Machine'

A man who has accused CNN anchor Don Lemon of sexual assault said he is happy to see accountability and the network's dismissal of Lemon's former colleague Chris Cuomo.

''They're a network rife with predators and perverts,'' Dustin Hice said on Fox News. ''Lemon will have to testify under oath in the near future, but it's good to see that there's finally some accountability happening'' regarding Cuomo.

More than two years ago, Hice, who is openly gay, accused Lemon of sexual assault and battery after an incident in a Long Island, New York, bar in the summer of 2018. The case is set to go to court next year.

In response to Hice's comments, Lemon's attorney, Caroline J. Polisi, said the allegations are baseless.

''I encourage people to review the public filings, which show that Mr. Hice's claims have been steadily eroding when they have been exposed to the civil litigation process,'' Polisi said. ''Mr. Hice's fanciful and salacious allegations against Mr. Lemon have collapsed of their own weight.

Unlike Mr. Hice, Mr. Lemon has litigated, and will continue to litigate this case in the courtroom, not the press. We look forward to the approaching trial so he can finally put this case behind him.''

According to The New York Times, Cuomo's termination was hastened after the anchor's involvement with his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, initially spurred CNN to terminate him. Andrew Cuomo was accused of sexual misconduct.

''This is who they are. They’re a predator-protecting machine, they slander and smear victims with impunity,'' Hice said of CNN.

A spokeswoman for CNN said: ''Based on the report we received regarding Chris's conduct with his brother's defense, we had cause to terminate. When new allegations came to us this week, we took them seriously, and saw no reason to delay taking immediate action.''

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