Ailes is out at Fox News

Roger Ailes, the founder and CEO of Fox News, will resign immediately, the network announced today. Ailes faces a sexual assault lawsuit from former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson, who claims he fired her after she refused his sexual advances. Rupert Murdoch, the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, will take over for Ailes until a replacement is named. Murdoch did not address the widening scandal in the statement on the resignation, but lauded Ailes for his contributions: “[Ailes’] grasp of policy and his ability to make profoundly important issues accessible to a broader audience stand in stark contrast to the self-serving elitism that characterizes far too much of the media.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.