CBS CEO Leslie Moonves Accused of Sexual Misconduct

Another? Another.

Leslie Moonves is the bigwig who oversees the entire CBS Corporation operation. He’s the chairman and CEO and has been at the forefront of the #MeToo movement, urging companies to change their culture. Heck, he even helped to establish the Commission on Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace.

That makes this even more awkward.

According to a new article in The New Yorker by Ronan Farrow, Moonves has been accused of sexual harassment.

But Moonves’s private actions belie his public statements. Six women who had professional dealings with him told me that, between the nineteen-eighties and the late aughts, Moonves sexually harassed them. Four described forcible touching or kissing during business meetings, in what they said appeared to be a practiced routine. Two told me that Moonves physically intimidated them or threatened to derail their careers. All said that he became cold or hostile after they rejected his advances, and that they believed their careers suffered as a result. “What happened to me was a sexual assault, and then I was fired for not participating,” the actress and writer Illeana Douglas told me. All the women said they still feared that speaking out would lead to retaliation from Moonves, who is known in the industry for his ability to make or break careers. “He has gotten away with it for decades,” the writer Janet Jones, who alleges that she had to shove Moonves off her after he forcibly kissed her at a work meeting, told me. “And it’s just not O.K.”

I realize that took place in the 80s and 90s, and it’s STILL bad, but it brings us back to the age-old question. Why didn’t anyone say anything back then?

What’s more, Farrow spoke to 30 current and former CBS employees, who say the culture of harassment has been widespread.

Thirty current and former employees of CBS told me that such behavior extended from Moonves to important parts of the corporation, including CBS News and “60 Minutes,” one of the network’s most esteemed programs. During Moonves’s tenure, men at CBS News who were accused of sexual misconduct were promoted, even as the company paid settlements to women with complaints. It isn’t clear whether Moonves himself knew of the allegations, but he has a reputation for being closely involved in management decisions across the network.

Meaning he could’ve dismissed the claims. Yikes. And we already know there’s truth to some of this. After all, look at Charlie Rose.

My statement in full. pic.twitter.com/3kvFrqF2dT

— Charlie Rose (@charlierose) November 20, 2017

Take that as you will. It could all be connected. I don’t know.

CBS says no misconduct claims have been made against Moonves, although the network is looking into it.

Interestingly enough, Mooves provided a statement and admitted to possibly making women uncomfortable in the past.

“Throughout my time at CBS, we have promoted a culture of respect and opportunity for all employees, and have consistently found success elevating women to top executive positions across our company. I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected—and abided by the principle—that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and I have never misused my position to harm or hinder anyone’s career. This is a time when we all are appropriately focused on how we help improve our society, and we at CBS are committed to being part of the solution.”

As I mentioned above, CBS is investigating the claims, which “violate the company’s clear policies,” so we’ll see what happens.