It has been over a week since CNN's star legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was fired from his job as a staff writer at the New Yorker magazine following an investigation into an incident in which he was caught masturbating on a Zoom call with colleagues – but the liberal news network and its parent company have remained mum as the scandal festers.
"As a result of our investigation, Jeffrey Toobin is no longer affiliated with the company," a spokesperson for the New Yorker confirmed to Fox News on Nov. 11.
CNN'S JEFFREY TOOBIN FIRED BY NEW YORKER MAGAZINE FOLLOWING ZOOM CALL MASTURBATION INCIDENT
The Hill media columnist Joe Concha responded to the news by noting “interesting to see what CNN decides to do,” but so far the network hasn’t done much since it claimed he was taking "time off" from CNN.
CNN did not immediately respond when asked on Thursday for an update on Toobin’s status there.
CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin allegedly masturbated during a Zoom call with colleagues.
The silence can be considered odd, as the liberal CNN often paints itself as the network of moral superiority, and its parent company, WarnerMedia, prides itself on helping shape communities.
“Equity, diversity, inclusion, and corporate social responsibility are moral and business imperatives. A strong organization recognizes that engaging in the fundamental issues of equality and fairness is not only the smart thing to do, but it is also the right thing to do. We see advocacy and inclusion as a key part to our success, and our approach to these critical issues are rooted in how we address our workforce, programs, content, suppliers, and community,” the WarnerMedia website claims.
CNN'S JEFFREY TOOBIN REPORTEDLY MASTURBATING ON ZOOM CALL THAT LED TO NEW YORKER SUSPENSION
Multiple WarnerMedia executives did not immediately respond when asked if Toobin will be terminated and how keeping someone who allegedly masturbated in front of colleagues jibes with diversity and inclusion efforts and protecting women at the company.
Toobin’s X-rated controversy began when Vice reported that Toobin exposed himself to staffers of the New Yorker and members of WNYC radio during a Zoom call. The publication then added a very salacious update, that according to two sources, Toobin was seen masturbating during the virtual meeting.
The call, which was described as an "election simulation," featured New Yorker writers Jane Mayer, Masha Gessen, Andrew Marantz, Jelani Cobb, Evan Osnos, Sue Halpern and Dexter Filkins playing various roles in potential 2020 outcomes.
The incident occurred during what was supposed to be a 10-minute "strategy session" among the various role-playing groups. However, the sources told Vice that it "seemed like Toobin was on a second video call."
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"The sources said that when the groups returned from their breakout rooms, Toobin lowered the camera," Vice reported. "The people on the call said they could see Toobin touching his penis. Toobin then left the call. Moments later, he called back in, seemingly unaware of what his colleagues had been able to see, and the simulation continued."
The incident was enough for the prestigious New Yorker to part ways with Toobin, but CNN hasn’t condemned his alleged actions.
Adjunct professor of sexual violence law at New England Law - Boston, Wendy Murphy, called for Toobin to be fired in a column she penned for the Boston Herald.
“Toobin can now commiserate with Joey Buttafucco [sic] and Anthony Weiner about how crummy it is to have your family name forever associated with bad behavior,” Murphy wrote.
CNN's star legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was fired from his job as a staff writer at the New Yorker magazine following an investigation into an incident in which he was caught masturbating on a Zoom call with colleagues. (Getty images)
Murphy called for Toobin to be shown the door over three weeks ago but CNN has not publicly uttered a peep about the legal analyst.
The Toobin story was also ignored on Sunday's installment of CNN media pundit Brian Stelter’s ironically titled media program "Reliable Sources," which claims to cover the media industry but often skips stories that don’t fit its agenda or that could be considered harmful to the reputation of liberal media outlets.
CNN even declined comment to its own media reporter.
“A spokesperson for CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Toobin's status at the network. Last month, a CNN spokesperson said that following the Zoom incident, Toobin had ‘asked for some time off’ and that the network had granted it,” CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy wrote when covering the story for the network’s website.
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TheWrap founder and CEO Sharon Waxman wrote that Toobin’s situation “reeks of male privilege” and asked where CNN has been.
“When your job is to weigh facts and render conclusions that shape public opinion, one’s own judgment should matter,” Waxman wrote, noting that CNN has “persistently avoided all questions about his future at the network.”
Waxman wrote that she “spoke to several prominent women in media” who all agreed that a woman would never be able to get away with similar actions.
“The election of Kamala Harris as vice president, the new avalanche of women voted into office, should be a sign that men need to demand more of themselves and their peers. The changes that have come to media and that have surprised the heck out of once-powerful media figures like Charlie Rose, Mark Halperin and Matt Lauer are not going away,” Waxman wrote. “So it's fair, I think, to demand not just journalistic rigor and accuracy from the powerful people who are privileged to be on the air and in print, but good judgment and, yes, self-discipline.”
Pittsburgh Current columnist Jessie Sage -- an online sex worker – condemned Toobin’s behavior because the women on the Zoom call weren’t able to consent.
“Everyone has a right to go to work and not be exposed against their will to a co-worker’s sexual acts,” Sage wrote. “While my clients engage with me in a respectful and consensual way (while also happening to be at work), Toobin’s behavior was problematic and inappropriate because it was careless and did not show the same respect for his colleagues, who did not sign up to interact with him while he was masturbating, and who did not agree to be a part of his sexual encounter."
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In addition to remaining silent on Toobin, CNN has also failed to condemn a tweet sent by CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir that was labeled “amazingly sexist” on Wednesday for implying Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., is only successful because of her husband.
National Republican Senatorial Committee communications staffer Nathan Brand noticed the pattern.
“You'd hope CNN would hold Bill Weir accountable for this blatant sexism, but you have to remember they still haven't fired Jeffrey Toobin,” Brand wrote.
CNN has not commented on Weir’s tweet, either.
Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
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