Fallout from the long-playing Fox News sexual harassment scandal continued to spread Friday, bringing increased scrutiny from U.S. investigators and threatening Chairman Rupert Murdoch's bid to complete 21st Century Fox's $14.8 billion acquisition of Sky News in the U.K.

With approval of the deal expected next month, a lead attorney for several current and former Fox News employees is urging British regulators to consider what he describes as the network's pattern of gender and racial discrimination, harassment and retaliation. The deal's fate could now turn on what's known as the “fit and proper” test, a requirement that any person holding a U.K. broadcasting license is and remains fit and proper to do so.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice broadened its probe into allegations of sexual and racial harassment at the news operation, questioning anchors and former employees of the news network of choice for most politically conservative Americans, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Murdoch.