New York Times White House Reporter Suspended In Wake Of Harassment Allegations

Glenn Thrush, White House correspondent for The New York Times, has been suspended after a bombshell report detailing how he allegedly sexually harassed several young female journalists.

On Monday, Vox published the accounts of four women, including the writer of the piece, who had worked with Thrush at Politico, toward whom he allegedly behaved inappropriately — from groping and kissing them without consent to murky sexual encounters under the influence.

According to Vox, all the women interviewed for the piece were early-career journalists in their twenties at the time they met Thrush, a seasoned and well-known journalist in Washington, D.C. Their stories suggested a pattern in which Thrush allegedly made unwanted advances toward them during events where there was alcohol.

His behavior was allegedly an open secret in D.C., according to Vox, as women starting their journalism careers in the city were warned by others about meeting him in a setting where there was alcohol or about being contacted by him on Twitter. (In mid-September, Thrush left Twitter, claiming it was too distracting.)

In a statement on Monday, Thrush apologized to the women "who felt uncomfortable" in his presence and "for any situation where I behaved inappropriately." He went on to say that he's seeking treatment for alcoholism, as over the past years he has been drinking heavily and "done things I am ashamed of."

The Times has suspended Thrush for the time being, and is conducting an investigation into his behavior.

"The behavior attributed to Glenn in this Vox story is very concerning and not in keeping with the standards and values of The New York Times," the organization said in a statement on Monday. "We intend to fully investigate and while we do, Glenn will be suspended."

In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, several powerful men in industries that range from Hollywood to politics have been accused of sexual misconduct. Men in media who are also facing sexual harassment allegations include politics reporter Mark Halperin, who was outed from MSNBC; Michael Oreskes, who stepped down from his role as NPR's news chief; and former Vox Media editorial director Lockhart Steele.

Since the allegations against Oreskes were made public last month, NPR journalists have been diligently reporting about the sexual harassment crisis in the organization. Their efforts to cover a scandal within their own walls have earned them praise. It remains to be seen whether the Times will do the same, though it did cover the allegations against Thrush in a short piece published Monday morning.