Fired Anchor Drops Lawsuit for Sexual Harassment

In a development certain to draw attention across the television news industry, the sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit filed by former KSTP meteorologist Wren Clair (legal name: Renee Fox) against the St. Paul-based station has been dismissed.

Attorneys representing both Ms. Fox and KSTP-TV filed a joint stipulation for dismissal with prejudice on Tuesday, a critical legal maneuver indicating the case cannot be refiled. The action brings an abrupt end to a contentious legal battle that pitted a prominent local on-air personality against her former employer, touching on sensitive issues of workplace conduct, performance, and termination in a major market newsroom.

Fox initially filed the lawsuit on August 12, alleging that she was abruptly terminated in February 2024 after reporting sexual harassment and sex-based disparate treatment that she claimed occurred throughout her employment since 2018.

KSTP strongly refuted the allegations in a legal response filed the following day. The station maintained that Fox was terminated "as a result of her poor performance, on which she was repeatedly coached," and denied that she had been "subjected to sex-based harassment."

The case had previously been referred to mediation by Ramsey County District Court Judge Reynaldo Aligada Jr. in November. However, court records offer no immediate clarity on whether mediation took place or the specific terms that led to the joint dismissal request.

When reached for comment, Fox’s attorney, Paul Schinner, stated simply, “The matter has been resolved,”declining to offer further detail—a common indicator of a confidential settlement. Attorneys for KSTP could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

The case involves several high-profile figures, including former KSTP News Director Kirk Varner, who was named in the allegations. Varner released a statement Tuesday saying, “While confident that I would have been able to defend myself against the allegations that were made, I am pleased that this matter has been resolved.”

Jeanne Fuith, a professor of employment law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, noted that a stipulated dismissal with prejudice is often utilized when both parties decide that continuing litigation is no longer beneficial.

Following her departure from KSTP, Fox briefly joined KARE-TV as a meteorologist in May before announcing on Instagram on September 3 that she and KARE had “agreed to part ways.” In her social media post, she indicated a desire to focus on her personal life and pursue "scientific careers outside of television."

This dismissal ensures the sensitive details of the allegations will not be subject to public litigation, closing the book on one of the recent high-profile workplace disputes to emerge from the competitive landscape of local television news.

H/T TwinCities.com