The #MeToo Movement may have nailed another reporter.
Months after Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose each saw his careers come to an end due to some damning allegations, Tom Brokaw has now been accused of sexual misconduct.
The veteran journalist and former host of the NBC Nightly News faces claims from a pair of ex-co-workers, both from incidents that allegedly took place in the 1990s.
First, per The Washington Post, comes a detailed account from Linda Vester.
She says that, while working as a reporter for NBC on “Weekend Today” in 1994, Brokaw once asked her to have a drink with him.
She responded “I only drink milk and cookies” at the time.
Hours later, however, Vester tells the aforementioned newspaper that Brokaw called her New York City hotel room around 3 a.m. and told her to order the milk and cookies … because he was coming over.
When Brokaw arrived at her door, he tried to kiss her, Vester claims, jerking her head in his direction.
But she resisted.
Vester also says Brokaw grabbed her from behind and tickled her waist in front of her colleagues in Denver, Colorado.
The Washington Post also published an allegation from a second woman, who asked to remain anonymous, claiming that Brokaw acted inappropriately toward her around this same time.
This woman worked as a production assistance at NBC News when she alleges Brokaw took her hands and put them under his jacket against his chest.
He then invited her to his office, insinuating he wanted the pair to engaged in some kind of sexual activity.
She says she left the network to go work someplace else after these events occurred.
Both women say they did not report the allegations when they transpired out of fear of Brokaw’s power at the network and how he could bring down their careers.
Brokaw has been married since 1992 and has five children.
This is what he said in reply to Vester’s claims:
I met with Linda Vester on two occasions, both at her request, 23 years ago because she wanted advice with respect to her career at NBC.
The meetings were brief, cordial and appropriate, and despite Linda’s allegations, I made no romantic overtures towards her at that time or any other.
He also denied acting in the sort of manner described by the second woman above.
Back in November, Lauer was fired from the Today Show for what the network called “inappropriate workplace behavior.”
He actually just spoke out again on Thursday, acknowledging in a statement that he has “acted inappropriately,” but denying “any allegations or reports of coercive, aggressive or abusive actions.”
NBC itself is yet to respond to this story about Brokaw, or to a larger story run by The Post that outlines a lack of institutional control when it comes to sexual harassment.
Brokaw works as a contributor at the network.
We’ll keep readers apprised of more news regarding these allegations against Brokaw when or if it breaks.
