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Ex-Fox News boss Roger Ailes is reportedly advising Donald Trump

Ailes, who is currently facing a litany of sexual harassment allegations, will reportedly advise the Republican nominee ahead of the presidential debates this fall.
Photo de Jim Cooper/EPA

Roger Ailes, the ousted CEO and chairman of Fox News who is currently facing a litany of sexual harassment allegations, reportedly has a new job: advising Donald Trump ahead of the presidential debates this fall.

It's a return to the Fox chief's roots. He made his first transition from show business to politics — later merging the two — as media advisor to President Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign, specifically coaching and producing the candidate's TV appearances. He went on to work his magic for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

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The move by Ailes was first reported Tuesday afternoon by the New York Times, which said it's still unclear how long Ailes has been involved in the Republican nominee's campaign and whether the ex-Fox boss is getting paid for his work. He got a $40 million severance package with Fox, and remains on tap with the network as a consultant.

Trump spokesperson Hope Hicks denied the Times report, saying it was "not accurate."

"He is not advising Mr. Trump or helping with debate prep," Hicks told NBC. "They are longtime friends but he has no formal or informal role in the campaign."

Related: The post-Ailes era of Fox News is a lot like the old era

Trump has had only had good things to say about Ailes ever since ex-Fox host Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment suit against Ailes, which led to a slow and steady procession of women who came forward alleging similar, and sometimes much darker, treatment by Ailes.

"He's been a friend of mine for a long time, and I can tell you that some of the women that are complaining, I know how much he's helped them," Trump said last month. "[W]hen they write books that are fairly recently released … they say wonderful things about him. Now all of a sudden they're saying these horrible things about him. It's very sad."

The first presidential debate is slated for September 26 in Long Island.

Follow Brendan James on Twitter: @deep_beige