Ex-CNN pundit rips network for interview on Toobin masturbation scandal: 'Sexual harassment in and of itself'

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Ex-CNN communicator Mary Katharine Ham blasts old Toobin interview as sexual harassment

Former CNN employee Mary Katharine Ham mocked the 2021 Alisyn Camerota interview with Jeffrey Toobin following his scandal as "sexual harassment in and of itself."

Ex-CNN commentator Mary Katharine Ham called out her former network Thursday for having anchor Alisyn Camerota interview Jeffrey Toobin about his masturbation scandal, saying it was an example of "sexual harassment." 

During her guest appearance on the "Ruthless" podcast, Ham discussed the Toobin scandal, which involved the former CNN legal analyst getting caught masturbating during a New Yorker Zoom call back in 2020. He was fired by The New Yorker but, although he was initially removed from air after the incident, Toobin eventually returned to CNN eight months later in 2021.

The decision for Toobin to return to the network caused intense online backlash and Ham took issue with Toobin’s follow-up interview with Camerota, where he was allowed to defend his actions. 

Mary Katharine Ham appeared on the "Ruthless" podcast and discussed Jeffrey Toobin. ("Ruthless" podcast)

Camerota had the awkward role of describing what happened and asking questions about it for Toobin's return interview.

"Honestly, I would argue that just suggesting that that interview should happen is sexual harassment in and of itself," Ham said. "What are we doing?" 

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In the interview with Camerota, Toobin expressed regret for the incident but also gratitude for CNN keeping him onboard, unlike The New Yorker.

"Because I'm a flawed human being who makes mistakes, and you know, there is no defense for my conduct," he said. "The only issue is what should be the consequences, and the 'New Yorker' made one decision about the consequences. CNN made a different decision, fortunately, for which I'm very grateful, but I am not going to come up here and, you know, split hairs and try to come up with justifications or explanations. It was wrong. It was stupid. And I'm trying to be a better person."

Ham joked on the podcast, "I just wanted a similar exit interview."

Mary Katharine Ham was suspended from CNN in 2022. (Photo by Jenny Anderson/ABC via Getty Images)

In an October 2022 Substack post, Ham revealed that she had been "quiet suspended" from the network in January 2022 after commenting on the Toobin scandal in a Twitter back and forth with CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski over her comments on coverage of the Congressional baseball shooting.

"Got jack to say about Cuomo and Toobin, but gotta fact-check me when he’s got nothing," Ham tweeted about Kaczynski, followed by, "One jacked off in front of female colleagues and one violated every conflict of interest rule in journalism, lied about it, and got fired, but I’m the issue bc I think the Congressional baseball shooting was covered too lightly and taxes are too high. Sure, dude."

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According to her Substack post, Ham was only told after being off the air for seven months that she had been suspended. She learned her suspension came about because "when it got to the comments about Jeffrey Toobin…everyone wanted a bit of a breather" and she hadn't been immediately notified because there were concerns that she would be a "loose cannon" since she had recently had a baby. 

Jeffrey Toobin came under fire in 2020 after being caught masturbating during a Zoom call with colleagues.  (Getty Images)

Ham brought up the suspension on the podcast.

"I commented on it at one point and my old boss, Jeff Zucker, didn't like that at all," she said.

She also joked about the contrast in her treatment compared to Toobin, who left the network in August 2022. 

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"'You know who we should punish? She tweeted about Jeffrey Toobin and the inadvisability of whacking it off at work. Why don’t we put her on the bench?'" Ham imagined CNN executives saying.