Boston Globe: Andrew Cuomo’s accusers were free to speak out. Sexual harassment victims in Massachusetts should be, too

‘People are using [nondisclosure agreements] to cover up workplace toxicity with taxpayer dollars. It is unconscionable,’ says former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson.

The world knows about multiple sexual harassment allegations against Andrew Cuomo because his accusers were free to speak out against him — and with that freedom, they ultimately forced Cuomo to resign as governor.

Empowerment of the victims led to the downfall of a powerful man. Which is why Gretchen Carlson, the former TV anchor who helped propel the nationwide #MeToo movement when she filed a sexual harassment suit against another powerful man, Fox News chief Roger Ailes, is lending her voice to the ongoing effort to help stop the silencing of sexual harassment victims in Massachusetts. Carlson plans to testify at a virtual legislative hearing on Tuesday in favor of a bill filed by state Senator Diana DiZoglio of Methuen which would ban the use of taxpayer money to prohibit sexual harassment victims from speaking out about their experience. Carlson will be joined by Julie Roginsky, a former Fox contributor who also filed suit against Fox and Ailes, who died in 2017.