NBC's Mark Halperin out after sexual harassment allegations
‘Game Change’ author and NBC News, MSNBC political analyst Mark Halperin is out at the network following sexual harassment allegations against him from five women.
More women are coming forward to accuse TV journalist Mark Halperin of sexual harassment.
Emily Miller, a journalist for One America News Network, claimed on Twitter that Halperin sexually harassed her when they were both employed by ABC. She provided few details about the alleged incident, which she said occurred when she was a junior-level employee.
“I did not report Halperin to ABC because I thought I was the only one, and I blamed myself, and I was embarrassed and I was scared of him,” she tweeted on Thursday after a CNN report was published Wednesday that claimed five women had accused Halperin of inappropriate behavior.
Halperin, 52, responded to the accusations statement, “During this period, I did pursue relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me. I now understand from these accounts that my behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain.”
Miller wrote on Friday, “I will NOT let stand this Mark Halperin denial of what he physically did to me. Stay tuned.”
Meanwhile, Eleanor McManus wrote an essay for CNN.com on Friday detailing the alleged harassment she endured from Halperin when she was 21 years old. She stated the harassment occurred during an informational meeting she had with Halperin about career opportunities following her college graduation.
“At one point I felt a bit too uncomfortable, and I stood up to thank him for the meeting. That's when he leaned in, tried to kiss me, and attempted to do a bit more. I didn't want to offend the man in charge of political programming at ABC News, and I tried to be courteous and apologetic, and practically ran out of the office. I was upset not by his actions, but the thought that I did something wrong to encourage that behavior.”
Dianna Goldberg too shared a disturbing story about Halperin. She told the Washington Post that in 1994, when she was a researcher for ABC News, Halperin asked to meet with her in his office. He invited her to sit on his lap, which she said she did not want to do but in order to not offend him she complied.
Goldberg claimed Halperin had an erection and she said that similar incidents happened on at least three occasions.
She recalled, “I didn’t know what to do. He was important. He wasn’t my superior, but he was certainly in a superior position to mine. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t know how to at the time. I knew it was wrong.”
NBC, MSNBC and HBO have cut ties with Halperin after Wednesday’s CNN report accused Halperin of mistreating female colleagues.
One woman claimed to CNN, “I went up to have a soda and talk and — he just kissed me and grabbed my boobs. I just froze. I didn't know what to do."
Another woman said, “I was sitting in a chair from across his desk and he came up behind me and [while he was clothed] he pressed his body on mine, his penis, on my shoulder.”
A third woman, who once worked for ABC News, said he propositioned her outside of a bathroom. She rejected his advances.
A fourth woman who worked at CNN claimed Halperin asked her to meet him in his hotel room. She declined.
A fifth woman, who did not detail where she worked at the time of the alleged incident, said Halperin, while clothed, pressed his erect penis on her body without consent.
MSNBC is investigating the claims against the news analyst. ABC said no complaints were filed about Halperin during his time at the company.
"Mark left ABC News over a decade ago, and no complaints were filed during his tenure," the Walt Disney Company-owned ABC News said in a statement provided to CNN.
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