Fox News media chief Brian Lewis fired after internal investigation

Fox News Executive Vice President Brian Lewis, the communications chief and a top strategist for the cable channel, was terminated after an internal investigation raised questions about his conduct.

“After an extensive internal investigation of Brian Lewis' conduct by Fox News, it was determined that he should be terminated for cause, specifically for issues relating to financial irregularities, as well as for multiple, material and significant breaches of his employment contract," a spokesman for Fox News parent company 21st Century Fox said. Fox News and 21st Century Fox declined to elaborate on Lewis' transgressions. He was let go on July 25, but the firing only came to light on August 20 after a story about it appeared in the Hollywood Reporter. Lewis could not be reached for comment. A member of Fox News Chairman and Chief Executive Roger Ailes' inner circle for almost two decades, Lewis was one of the most powerful executives at the network. Not only did Lewis oversee the take-no-prisoners approach Fox News brought to dealing with the press and rival news outlets, he was also something of a consigliere to Ailes.