Feder: Melissa McGurren sues The Mix; fourth woman targets Eric Ferguson
As allegations of misconduct continue to pile up against Radio Hall of Famer Eric Ferguson, his bosses show no sign of wavering in support of their beleaguered morning personality.
While Ferguson remains off the air at least through the end of October from the WTMX 101.9-FM show that bears his name, former co-host Melissa McGurren filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago Thursday for defending Ferguson against her earlier claim that he was a "serial abuser of women" who subjected her to an "unbearable hostile work environment."
Jeff England, vice president and market manager of Hubbard Radio Chicago, declined to comment on the suit, but earlier the company said it had "thoroughly investigated" McGurren's charges in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint and declared: "We do not agree with Melissa's characterization of events."
The lawsuit claims Hubbard's investigation "was never conducted or, at a minimum, was a sham investigation."
McGurren, who left The Mix after 22 years in 2020, now co-hosts mornings on Audacy country WUSN 99.5-FM.
A fourth voice added to the chorus of accusers against Ferguson was Jennifer Ashrafi, former afternoon co-host and traffic reporter on The Mix.
She was known on the air as Jennifer Roberts.
In a filing attached to McGurren's lawsuit Thursday, Ashrafi called Ferguson "rude and dismissive to women" and said he was known to engage in abusive behavior.
"It is humiliating to watch and dehumanizing to know that nothing can be done because the management at The Mix approved Ferguson's misconduct by their silence in not reprimanding him," she claimed in the filing.
Ashrafi, who did not work directly with Ferguson at The Mix, left the station after 16 years in 2020 to accept a new job in corporate communications.
"A lot of people get prematurely put 'on the beach' in this business and I'm thrilled that I'm making my exit completely on my terms," she tweeted at the time.