Tara Reade said she had received a death threat after Biden supporters accused her without evidence of being a Russian agent.
She continued: “His surrogates have been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media.
“He hasn’t himself, but there is a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it’s been safe – it’s not been safe.
“All of my social media has been hacked, all of my personal information has been dragged through.”
Joe Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a statement after the interview aired that Tara Reade’s story contained “inconsistencies”.
“Women must receive the benefit of the doubt,” said the statement.
“They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm – and we all have a responsibility to ensure that.
“At the same time, we can never sacrifice the truth. And the truth is that these allegations are false and that the material that has been presented to back them up, under scrutiny, keeps proving their falsity.”
Joe Biden, who is the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, broke his silence on the matter a week ago, appearing on a morning TV show to brand the allegations “false”.
A court document from 1996 shows Tara Reade’s ex-husband describing “a problem she was having at work regarding harassment, in US Senator Joe Biden’s office”, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported.
“It was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect on [Reade], and that she is still sensitive and effected [sic] by it today,” wrote Theodore Dronen, Tara Reade’s then-husband, in a legal memo during their divorce battle.
The file obtained by the California newspaper appears to be the only document from the time that might describe Tara Reade’s allegation.
Tara Reade’s brother, a former neighbor and a former colleague have all said they heard her describe the accusation against her boss after the alleged incident. Her mother appears to have called a CNN show about the claim back in 1993.
High-powered Manhattan lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement that he is representing Tara Reade. He has also represented alleged assault victims of jailed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 23 years
in prison for rape and assault.
The disgraced Hollywood producer was found guilty in a trial in New York
last month.
Hervey Weinstein, 67, appeared in court on March 11 in a wheelchair.
The producer’s lawyers had appealed for leniency, saying even the minimum
sentence of five years could be a “life sentence”.
However, prosecutors argued Harvey Weinstein should be given the maximum
possible sentence given his “lifetime of abuse” towards women and
“lack of remorse” for his actions.
Harvey Weinstein addressed the court for the first time on March 11, saying
he had “deep remorse” but described him and other men as
“totally confused” by events in comments seen as critical to the
#MeToo movement.
Dozens of women have come forward
with allegations of misconduct, including rape, against Harvey Weinstein since
October 2017.
He has consistently denied
wrongdoing and these were the first charges to make it to trial.
Harvey Weinstein still faces further
criminal charges, for rape and assault, in Los Angeles.
His lawyers have vowed to appeal
against his conviction.
Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of
committing a first-degree criminal sexual act against production assistant
Miriam Haley in 2006 and of the third-degree rape of aspiring actress Jessica
Mann in 2013.
New York jurors acquitted Weinstein
of the most serious charges, of predatory sexual assault, which could have seen
him given an even longer jail term.
All six women who testified against
him during his trial sat together as he was sentenced and told to register as a
sex offender.
The two women he was convicted of assaulting both read out victim impact
statements in court.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. thanked the court for the tough
sentence, saying it put “predators and abusive partners” elsewhere in
society “on notice”.
Speaking outside court, Gloria Allred, who represents three of the accusers,
held up a sign with the words: “This
is what justice looks like.”
“For all those who are still
preying on women, who want to engage in the high risk-taking of harming women
and thinking you’ll get away with it, that gamble is likely not to pay off for
you anymore,” she added.
“And if you’re a high-profile
figure, don’t expect anything but equal justice.”
The US Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) praised the significant prison term Harvey Weinstein was given.
Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was
convicted in New York City of third-degree rape and first-degree criminal sexual
act.
The 67-year-old was cleared of the most serious count of predatory sexual
assault. He faces up to 25 years in prison.
Harvey Weinstein still faces charges in Los Angeles of assaulting two women
in 2013.
At least 80 women had accused him of misconduct stretching back decades,
including actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek.
The allegations were at the center of the #MeToo movement that inspired
women to go public with misconduct allegations against powerful men.
Haevey Weinstein once enjoyed phenomenal success with Oscar winners such Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, The King’s
Speech and Shakespeare in Love.
The jury of seven men and five women reached their verdict on February 24,
the fifth day of deliberations.
Harvey Weinstein – who denied all charges – was convicted of assaulting
former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a
former aspiring actress, in 2013. The judge ordered him sent to jail
immediately.
However, the jury acquitted him on
two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life
sentence, and first-degree rape of Jessica Mann.
In the minutes after the verdict, Harvey
Weinstein showed no emotion as he talked to his lead lawyer Donna Rotunno. He
will be sentenced on March 11.
The third-degree rape charge in New
York is defined as engaging in intercourse with a person who is incapable of
consent, or under age 17, or who has not given consent for a reason other than
the inability to consent.
Prosecutors portrayed Harvey Weinstein
as a serial predator who used his position of power in Hollywood to manipulate
and attack women.
The defense team said intercourse between
Harvey Weinstein and the accusers was consensual, and that the accusers used
the relations to advance their careers. The allegations amounted to “regret
renamed as rape”, the defense said. Two of the accusers kept in contact
with Harvey Weinstein and had intimate relations with him after the alleged
attacks, they pointed out.
Mimi Haleyi, who had worked on one of Harvey Weinstein’s TV productions,
said she was assaulted by the producer after he invited her to his Lower
Manhattan home.
Jessica Mann said that she found
herself in an “extremely degrading” relationship with him that did
not involve intercourse until he raped her in a New York City hotel room in
2013.
She said he was a “Jekyll and
Hyde” figure who could be charming in public but showed his dark side when
they were alone.
Another one of Harvey Weinstein’s
accusers, actress Annabella Sciorra, told jurors he raped her in her apartment
one night in the mid-1990s.
Her allegation was too old to be
charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors used it in an attempt to
demonstrate that the accused was a repeat offender.
Following the verdict, Annabella
Sciorra said: “I spoke for myself
and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my
heart.”
Three other also women testified they were lured to apparent work meetings
with Harvey Weinstein, then assaulted.
Donna Rotunno told reporters outside the courthouse: “The fight is not over…Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it
like a man and he knows we will continue to fight for him and he knows that
this is not over.”
The lawyer said her client was disappointed, but “mentally tough”.
Harvey Weinstein attended the court
hearing in New York using a walking frame. His lawyers said he was undergoing
surgery on December 12 for injuries suffered in a car accident in August.
The $25 million settlement is part
of a larger $47 million package intended to close the Weinstein Company’s
liabilities, including legal fees. Harvey Weinstein would not pay personally,
the sum would come from insurance companies representing the Weinstein Company.
A group lawsuit had been brought by
dozens of women who accuse Harvey Weinstein of harassment and abuse, though
high-profile figures who have also made allegations, such as Gwyneth Paltrow
and Angelina Jolie, are not part of the action.
Genie Harrison, a lawyer for one of
the plaintiffs, told the New York Times:
“I don’t think there’s a markedly
better deal to be made.”
She said other alleged victims who
hold out could end up with nothing, and that they should “come forward and
be able to get the best level of compensation we were able to get”.
One plaintiff backing the deal, Louisette Geiss, told Associated Press: “This settlement will ensure that all survivors have the chance for recovery and can move forward without Harvey’s damaging lock on their careers.”
Former Vice-President Joe Biden is
being accused of inappropriate touching for second time in just three days, as
the leading Democrat mulls a White House bid.
The second woman, Amy Lappos, said
Joe Biden had touched her face with both hands and rubbed noses with her a
decade ago.
The allegation comes after another
woman, Lucy Flores, said on March 29 that Joe Biden kissed her on the back of
her head at a campaign event.
Joe Biden has said he did not
believe he has ever acted inappropriately.
The former Delaware senator, who
served as President Barack Obama’s vice-president between 2009 and 2017, is
seen as a possible front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential
nomination.
Amy Lappos, a 43-year-old former
aide to a Democratic congressman, said Joe Biden touched her inappropriately at
a fundraiser in a private home in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2009.
The woman told Hartford Courant the then vice-president entered the kitchen to
thank a group of aides, before wrapping both hands around her face and pulling
her in to rub noses with her.
Amy Lappos called on Joe Biden not
to run for the White House, saying: “Uninvited
affection is not okay. Objectifying women is not okay.”
Lucy Flores was running as the Democratic candidate for Nevada’s lieutenant
governor in 2014 when Joe Biden flew in to support her bid.
As she prepared to go on stage, Joe Biden placed two hands on her shoulders
from behind, smelled her hair then planted “a big slow kiss on the back of
my head”.
Asked about the new allegation, a spokesman for Joe Biden referred reporters
to a statement he issued on March 31.
The statement read: “In my many
years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless
handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort. And not once –
never – did I believe I acted inappropriately.”
“But we have arrived at an
important time when women feel they can and should relate their experiences,
and men should pay attention. And I will,” it added.
Joe Biden and Barack Obama were known for their close friendship, often seen
playing golf and attending sports events together. Joe Biden even said that
Barack Obama offered him financial help when his son was ill.
For his vice president’s birthday in 2017, Barack Obama posted a photo of
the two of them on Twitter, writing that Joe Biden was his “brother and
the best vice president anybody could have”.
On April, a spokesman for Joe Biden also accused “right wing
trolls” of presenting harmless images of the former vice president
interacting with women over the years as evidence of inappropriate touching.
A number of candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination have
backed Lucy Flores.
Senator Elizabeth Warren said Joe Biden “needs to give an answer”,
and Senator Amy Klobuchar said that in politics “people raise issues and
they have to address them”.
Some supporters though have defended him. Cynthia Hogan, a former aide to the vice-president, told the New York Times that Joe Biden “treated us with respect and insisted that others do the same”. An ally of Joe Biden told CNN he was not reconsidering a run for the White House following the allegations but stressed he was yet to make a decision.
From Matt Lauer to Harvey Weinstein, the world has been rocked by sexual harassment allegations and revelations. And while there’s no telling whether there are more shocks to come, what’s very clear is that we still have a lot of work to do as a society to make the workplace and the world in general a safer place for everyone. Through the experiences of others there are so many lessons we can learn about missteps we’ve made and how we can correct them. Here are top lessons we can learn from the #MeToo campaign.
Victims Risk
Their Reputations When They Come Forward
Whether we want to admit it or not, the things people who are brave enough to share on the workplace abuse they experienced or the fraud in the companies face is what keeps so many silent. They are humiliated, shunned and even harassed. In the case of sexual harassment, people tend to blame the victim and try to discredit them by any means necessary. This means that before the perpetrator can even face justice, the victim or witness is put through the ringer for just telling the truth. It’s so important than the men and woman who come forward in order to have protection and support of people around them. According to JF Melton Law, “Whistleblowers take great risks, so getting a reward for that risk is key. It is imperative that they have whistleblower protection to ensure a) the largest reward possible is given and b) the whistleblower is protected under the law.”
When Power
Goes Unchecked, Bad Things Happen
The one thing stories like Harvey Weinstein, Matt
Lauer and R. Kelly all have in common is abusers being able to get away with
what they do for decades. Because these people rise to the upper echelons of
society, people often turn a blind eye to their deeds, or the ones that see are
threatened into silence. These unfortunately repeats the cycle of abuse, and
emboldens the abuser. We have to be able to ask questions of the men and women
we put up on pedestals, and take them to task when they do something wrong. If
we repeatedly turn a blind eye, all that does is make them feel invincible and
double down on the abuse.
We Have to
Separate Talent From Character
If there’s anything we need to learn as a society
it’s that an artistic genius or talented person can still be an abuser, and no
matter how talented they are, they don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt. In
fact, the men and women we look up to as role models have to hold themselves to
a higher standard. They should be examples of respect, good character and
integrity, not people we let get away with anything and everything. If they
decide to display horrible behavior, harassing people and destroying their
lives, we as a society have to speak out against that and stop putting money in
their pockets. We need to stop treating famous and powerful people as gods who
can move through society with no accountability or responsibility for their
negative actions.
We Need to
Have More Conversations
Whether it’s at work, at universities or even in
the privacy of our own homes, we have to have conversations about harassment
and abuses of power. Many victims struggle to come forward because they either
think they did something to ask for the abuse, or they don’t think what
happened to them was an abuse of power. If we were to have more open
conversation about the spectrum of abuse and how it manifests in behavior, we
could raise the standards of how we treat each other. We would make it so much
easier for victims to use their voices. In a lot of companies, employees have
had to discuss what sexual harassment looks like and this awareness actually
makes the workplace safer. We need to extend that to the whole society.
The #MeToo movement lifted the lid on so many abuses and though it wasn’t always perfect, it forced us to start having the necessary conversations that make our world safer for everyone else. When we work for companies, our safety is their responsibility, and just as our employers expect want to be sure that we have integrity when they hire us, we expect the same from them. We expect to be safe from abuse and harassment, to be treated with respect at all the time, and for any incidents of abuse to be dealt with accordingly, not swept under the rug.
CBS’ former chairman and chief executive Les Moonves will not receive a $120 million severance package after an inquiry into alleged harassment and assault.
CBS said that Les Moonves misled the company over the allegations and failed to work with investigators, meaning ithad grounds to fire him.
Les Moonves stepped down in September following fresh claims he had harassed or assaulted six more women.
He said that the accusations made in The New Yorker magazine were untrue.
In a statement, CBS said Les Moonveshad displayed “willful and material misfeasance” and failed to co-operate fully with the company’s investigation into the allegations against him.
CBS also said Les Moonves had had violated company policy and was in breach of his employment contract and as a consequence he would not receive any severance payment from the broadcaster.
At the time of Les Moonves’departure as chairman and chief executive at CBS, where he had worked for 23 years, CBS said it had set $120 million aside as possible payment for him pending an investigation.
Actress and writer Illeana Douglas, known for her roles in the filmsGoodfellas and Cape Fear, was oneof the first women to speak publicly about an alleged assault by Les Moonves.
In the first of two articles The New Yorker published on Les Moonves, Illeana Douglas said: “What happened to me was a sexual assault, and then I was fired for not participating.”
The article also said there was a culture of harassment at CBS.
Following an investigation by external law firms, the company said they had concluded “that harassment and retaliation are not pervasive at CBS”.
“However, the investigators learned of past incidents of improper and unprofessional conduct, and concluded that the company’s historical policies, practices and structures have not reflected a high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation.”
One of the accusers of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was told by police to delete any files from her phone that she wanted to keep private, prosecutors have admitted.
Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said the complainant was told by a detective to “delete anything she did not want anyone to see”.
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said the development “undermines” the case.
He faces charges involving alleged assaults on two women. The Hollywood producer denies the charges.
Joan Illuzzi-Orbon wrote in a letter to Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, Ben Brafman: “My office had asked Complainant 2 to produce any and all cell phones that she might have used during the time she interacted with the defendant.”
However, she adds that the woman said she was then advised to remove files “before providing the phones to our office”.
Despite this advice, the woman still provided the phones used to communicate with Harvey Weinstein “without any deletions”, Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said.
Ben Brafman later released a statement in response to the letter, saying the news “further undermines the integrity of an already deeply flawed indictment of Mr. Weinstein”.
The lawyer earlier requested that the entire case be dismissed.
Last week a charge against Harvey Weinstein by actress Lucia Evans was dismissed by a judge in New York after she was said to have given a differing account of events.
Hervey Weinstein has been accused of assault by more than 70 women.
The accusations against the producer helped awaken the #MeToo movement, which has seen hundreds of women accusing high-profile men in business, government and entertainment of sexual abuse and harassment.
Harvey Weinstein, 66, has agreed to wear a GPS tracker and to surrender his passport.
The film mogul also faces additional investigations in Los Angeles and London, and by the US federal government.
Harvey Weinstein, who has been on $1 million bail since his arrest in May, denies having non-consensual contacts, his lawyers have previously said.
According to recent reports, Harvey Weinstein is expected to surrender to New York police on May 25 on misconduct charges.
Harvey Weinstein faces arrest following a grand jury investigation, the reports say.
The Hollywood mogul has been hit with numerous allegations, including rape and assault, but has denied non-consensual relation with anyone.
It would be the first time Harvey Weinstein has been charged since the accusations emerged.
The allegations triggered the #MeToo movement which sought to demonstrate and draw attention to the widespread prevalence of abuse and harassment.
The charges will stem from an investigation made by a Manhattan grand jury. They have not been made official and the indictment depends on district attorney Cyrus Vance.
According to a New York Times report, the charges relate to an allegation brought by actress Lucia Evans.
The actress detailed her accusations against Harvey Weinstein in an article in the New Yorker in October 2017.
It is not clear if the former producer will face more charges brought by other accusers.
It is known that New York police have been investigating allegations of rape made by actress Paz de la Huerta.
This month Netflix producer Alexandra Canosa files court papers in New York alleging Harvey Weinstein raped, assaulted and verbally abused her over a five-year period.
The statute of limitations will be an issue in some cases but it is not thought to apply in the Evans case. Even if the limitations apply, a judge could still call women to testify to establish a pattern of behavior, as in the recent trial of Bill Cosby.
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, has not commented on reports that his client will imminently turn himself in.
The Times said Harvey Weinstein would surrender on May 25 and be arraigned at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Harvey Weinstein has faced accusations of harassment and assault from dozens of women. Some have alleged rape.
Kate Beckinsale, Lysette Anthony and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the high-profile figures to have spoken out.
New York Attorney General and #MeToo supporter Eric Schneiderman has announced his resignation following allegations of assault by four women.
The New Yorker magazine published a report quoting the women, two of them his ex-girlfriends, who accused the 63-year-old of hitting them.
Eric Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement against harassment and a fierce opponent of President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Eric Schneiderman, who “strongly contests” the allegations, said: “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual s**ual activity.
“I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual s**, which is a line I would not cross.”
He also said: “While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time.”
Eric Schneiderman became attorney general in 2010 and had intended to run for re-election to the post this year.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had called for his resignation, following the reports.
The governor said: “No-one is above the law, including New York’s top legal officer.
“I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as attorney general.”
Andrew Cuomo said he would ask a prosecutor to investigate the allegations.
One of the accusers, Michelle Manning Barish tweeted after the allegations were published: “After the most difficult month of my life – I spoke up.
“For my daughter and for all women. I could not remain silent and encourage other women to be brave for me.”
Jennifer Cunningham, Eric Schneiderman’s ex-wife, released a statement on May 7 saying: “I’ve known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father, and friend… I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true.”
Last month, The New Yorker won a joint Pulitzer Prize with The New York Times for its reporting on harassment in Hollywood.
The reports brought down Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who has denied dozens of misconduct allegations.
Bill Cosby has been found guilty of three counts of assault, each of which carries a potential 10 years in prison.
The 80-year-old actor has been on trial for drugging and assaulting ex-basketball player Andrea Constand 14 years ago.
Bill Cosby, the first major black actor on primetime TV, will remain out of jail until he is sentenced, the judge ruled.
Prosecutors argued he should be denied bail, arguing that he should be held because he is “somebody who has unlimited wealth” and could flee on a private plane.
Bill Cosby accuser Lili Bernard said outside the courthouse: “I feel like my faith in humanity is restored.”
“We are so happy that finally we can say, women are believed, and not only on #MeToo, but in a court of law,” lawyer Gloria Allred added.
It was the second time Bill Cosby had stood trial for the allegations, after an earlier jury failed to reach a verdict in June 2017.
At the start of the retrial in Pennsylvania it was revealed that Bill Cosby had paid Andrea Constand almost $3.4 million in a civil settlement in 2006.
Bill Cosby is best known for starring in the 1980s TV series The Cosby Show.
Around 60 women over five decades have publicly accused Bill Cosby of being a predator. But statute of limitation laws mean that only one charge has been brought to trial.
Some of his accusers were present in court, and cried as the guilty verdict was returned.
Bill Cosby’s lawyer Tom Mesereau insisted “the fight is not over”, adding that he believes the actor is innocent and that he plans to file an appeal.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, who brought the charges against Bill Cosby, held a press conference after the verdict.
Kevin Steele said, as Andrea Constand stood beside him: “Money and power or who you are will not stop us from a criminal investigation and prosecuting a case.”
When the attack took place, Andrea Constand was working as director of operations for the women’s basketball team at Temple University, Philadelphia.
She told the court she had gone to the home of her then friend Bill Cosby, to discuss her resignation.
Andrea Constand said he had given her three blue pills to “help take the edge off,” which she believed to be a natural remedy.
Minutes later, she was suffering double vision and quickly lost consciousness.
She awoke to find Bill Cosby assaulting her, she said, adding that the drugs made her physically unable to fight back.
Andrea Constand reported the attack, but the district attorney refused to press charges. The case was reopened in 2015.
Judge Steven O’Neill allowed five of Bill Cosby’s other accusers to serve as “prior bad acts” witnesses during the trial, as the prosecution sought to establish a pattern of misconduct.
Heidi Thomas told the court that Bill Cosby served her spiked wine that made her drowsy for four days in 1984.
Former model Janice Dickinson was among those who testified, alleging that Bill Cosby drugged and raped her at a hotel in 1982, when she was 27 years old.
The case against Bill Cosby was one of the first celebrity assault trials conducted in the light of the #MeToo movement, which has raised awareness of alleged misconduct by a number of powerful media figures.
Los Angeles prosecutors are reviewing a historical assault accusation against Kevin Spacey, officials confirmed on April 11.
Police have filed evidence about an allegation involving an incident with a man in West Hollywood in 1992.
More than 30 men have come forward with allegations of misconduct against Kevin Spacey in recent months.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department said it began investigating the case in December, and presented it to the Los Angeles District Attorney office for review earlier this month.
No details of the allegation have been released.
It is unclear if California’s statute of limitations on prosecuting criminal assault, which is normally ten years, would apply.
Kevin Spacey, 58, first became embroiled in controversy last November when actor Anthony Rapp accused him of assault in 1986 when he was 14 and Spacey was 26.
The Oscar-winning actor claimed to have no memory of the events, but publicly apologized. He has since issued an “absolute” denial of the other allegations that later emerged.
Meanwhile, London police are investigating three criminal cases against Kevin Spacey.
London’s Old Vic Theater, where Kevin Spacey was artistic director, has said it received 20 complaints of inappropriate behavior against him.
The controversy has led to Kevin Spacey being axed from a number of roles, including from Netflix series House of Cards and the 2017 movie All the Money in the World, which was re-shot without him.
Monica Lewinsky has said her relationship with former President Bill Clinton constituted a “gross abuse of power” on his part.
The former White House intern was 22 when she became romantically involved with the then president, who was 27 years her senior.
Monica Lewinsky has written an article for Vanity Fair magazine, reflecting on events after the #MeToo movement.
She also revealed that she was diagnosed with PTSD after the scandal.
The condition was caused by being “publicly outed and ostracized” as the affair unraveled in the press and courts, Monica Lewinsky says.
News of Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton’s relationship dominated the US news agenda in 1998 and 1999, after the president initially denied it before admitting to “inappropriate intimate physical contact” with the former White House intern.
House Republicans then started impeachment proceedings against President Clinton, arguing he had lied to federal investigators. That effort eventually failed, and Bill Clinton remained in power until 2001.
Monica Lewinsky, now 44, says she stands by her 2014 comments that their relationship was consensual, but muses about the “vast power differentials” that existed between the two.
She says she had “limited understanding of the consequences” at the time, and regrets the affair daily.
The former White House intern wrote: “The dictionary definition of “consent”? To give permission for something to happen.”
“And yet what did the ‘something’ mean in this instance, given the power dynamics, his position, and my age?…He was my boss. He was the most powerful man on the planet. He was 27 years my senior, with enough life experience to know better.”
In the Vanity Fair essay, Monica Lewinsky also discusses the growing movement of women publicly speaking out against harassment and assault.
The state of New York is suing The Weinstein Company, alleging that the studio failed to protect staff from Harvey Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein, 65, is facing dozens of allegations of abuse, including rape, but denies non-consensual acts.
The lawsuit filed by New York prosecutors alleges Harvey Weinstein abused female employees and made verbal threats to kill staff members.
However, Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said a “fair investigation” would show that many of the allegations were without merit.
The Weinstein Company’s board of directors said it was “disappointed” by the lawsuit.
On February 11, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that he had filed the suit against The Weinstein Company, as well as Harvey Weinstein and his brother Robert, who co-founded the studio.
Eric Schneiderman is seeking an unspecified sum to cover damages, plus penalties, for victims of alleged abuse by Harvey Weinstein.
The document alleges that Harvey Weinstein harassed and abused women employed by the studio for years.
It accuses senior executives at the company, including Robert Weinstein, of failing to prevent the mistreatment of staff despite being presented with evidence.
The suit casts doubt over the sale of The Weinstein Company, which has been battling bankruptcy and is in talks with investors.
Eric Schneiderman said his investigation was continuing, but he had brought the suit out of concern that a possible sale would leave alleged victims without adequate compensation, and could benefit “perpetrators or enablers”.
It is reported that businesswoman Maria Contreras-Sweet has led talks to buy the studio for $500 million.
However, after news of the suit emerged, negotiations are now said to be on hold.
According to Variety, investors baulked at the prospect of the lawsuit adding conditions to the sale.
In October 2017, The New York Times published a story detailing decades of allegations of harassment against Harvey Weinstein.
Since then more than 50 women, among them some of the biggest names in Hollywood, have accused him assault, harassment, abuse and rape.
In the wake of the allegations, Harvey Weinstein was sacked by the board of his company.
Hillary Clinton has admitted that she should have fired her adviser, Burns Strider, who was accused of harassment during her 2008 presidential campaign.
Burns Strider was initially docked pay and told to seek counseling but was later fired from a campaign group after again being accused of harassment.
He has not commented on the allegations.
Hillary Clinton posted the statement moments before President Donald Trump began his state of the union speech.
Her move has prompted some speculation that she was seeking to bury her apology in the storm of media coverage around the address.
According to New York Times, the 30-year-old woman who made the complaint shared an office with Burns Strider when it broke the story of the claims last week.
The report said that, according to three former campaign officials, she had told a campaign official that Burns Strider had rubbed her shoulders inappropriately, kissed her on the forehead and sent suggestive emails.
When the woman’s complaint was investigated, two advisers, including her campaign manager, recommended Burns Strider be fired, but instead Hillary Clinton moved her to a new role, while Strider stayed in place.
The matter has raised questions about Hillary Clinton’s judgment and stated commitment to women’s advancement.
Hillary Clinton said in a statement posted on Facebook: “I’m being asked as to why I let an employee on my 2008 campaign keep his job despite his inappropriate workplace behavior.
“The short answer is this: If I had it to do again, I wouldn’t.”
The former presidential candidate says she understands the scrutiny of her decision to retain Burns Strider given her work to “support and empower women”.
Hillary Clinton then goes on to explain her reasoning in detail.
She decided to do so, she says, “because I didn’t think firing him was the best solution to the problem.
Hillary Clinton wrote: “He needed to be punished, change his behavior, and understand why his actions were wrong. The young woman needed to be able to thrive and feel safe.
“I thought both could happen without him losing his job.”
Hillary Clinton also says she has “reached out” to the woman in question: “The fact that [she] felt heard and supported reinforced my belief that the process worked – at least to a degree.”
However, she points out that the events took place long before the “seismic shift” in social attitudes towards harassment.
Burns Strider was Hillary Clinton’s faith adviser and has continued to send her scripture readings over recent years, the New York Times reported.
Steve Wynn has resigned as finance chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) amid harassment allegations.
A Wall Street Journal report on January 26 alleged that the 76-year-old casino mogul harassed massage therapists and abused one staff member.
Steve Wynn, the son of an East Coast bingo parlour operator, who is now worth an estimated $3.5 billion, according to Forbes magazine, has denied wrongdoing, calling the stories “preposterous”.
RNC chair Ronna McDaniel told media she had accepted his resignation.
Steve Wynn has blamed his ex-wife, whom he is fighting in court, for the “slander”. He has been locked in legal battles with his ex-wife, Elaine Wynn, for more than seven years. The pair co-founded Wynn Resorts.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which said it had interviewed dozens of people who worked with Steve Wynn, he is accused of engaging in a pattern of abuse in which he often harassed massage therapists while alone in his private office.
The gambling industry giant paid $7.5 million to one manicurist who alleged she had been abused by Steve Wynn, the paper claims citing court documents.
Female employees would fake appointments in order to avoid seeing him, or enlist others to pretend to be their assistants in order to avoid being alone with him.
Some would even hide in bathrooms or closets if they heard Steve Wynn was coming to their salon, the paper claimed.
Steve Wynn is also a Republican Party donor and fundraiser.
After harassment allegations were made against Hollywood executive producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, Ronna McDaniel and other leading Republicans called for the Democratic Party to return his donations.
Now some Democrats are asking if the same rules should apply regarding allegations against Steve Wynn.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has attacked the RNC for remaining silent.
Last year, Ronna McDaniel said in a statement: “If Democrats and the DNC truly stand up for women like they say they do, then returning this dirty money should be a no brainer.”
Casey Affleck has decided to pull out of this year’s Academy Awards, his publicist has confirmed.
By tradition, Casey Affleck – who won best actor for Manchester By The Sea in 2017 – would have been expected to present the best actress award this year.
Ben Affleck’s brother was sued by two female crew members for alleged harassment in 2010.
The actor denies the allegations and the lawsuits were settled out of court.
An Oscars spokeswoman confirmed that Casey Affleck would not attend, saying: “We appreciate the decision to keep the focus on the show and on the great work of this year.”
Casey Affleck’s accusers, producer Amanda White and director of photography Magdalena Gorka, say they were harassed during the making of the mockumentary I’m Still Here, which Affleck directed.
Amanda White claimed that Casey Affleck had refused to pay her salary because she would not spend the night in a hotel room with him.
Magdalena Gorka alleged that Casey Affleck, who was married at the time, had crawled into bed with her as she slept.
Casey Affleck’s lawyers argued that the allegations were part of a scheme to extort money from the actor.
The claims against Casey Affleck have drawn renewed attention in the months since abuse allegations were leveled against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
The Weinstein allegations sparked the rise of the #MeToo hashtag, which inspired a global movement of women and men to share their stories of sexual abuse and harassment.
More than 300 actresses, writers and directors responded by launching Time’s Up – a project to help fight harassment in the film industry and other workplaces.
The initiative was announced via a full-page ad printed in the New York Times.
This year’s Oscars ceremony will take place on March 4 in Los Angeles.
Michael Douglas has been accused of harassment more than a week after he issued a pre-emptive denial of the claims.
His former employee, author and journalist Susan Braudy, said the actor’s alleged treatment left her feeling “humiliated”.
Susan Braudy’ claims include that he performed an act in front of her.
Michael Douglas responded by saying: “This is a complete lie, fabrication, no truth in it whatsoever.”
The actor’s statement came 10 days before Susan Braudy’s allegations were published by The Hollywood Reporter.
Michael Douglas explained he “felt the need to get ahead” of the situation and share his concerns about the “nightmare” scenario.
Susan Braudy worked for Michael Douglas’s company Stonebridge Productions in the late 1980s.
She claims he used inappropriate language in front of her, including openly discussing extra-marital affairs, while she was running the company’s New York office.
Susan Braudy also alleges that Michael Douglas commented about her body, which made her then wear loose, dark clothing.
“I realized he thought he could do anything he wanted because he was so much more powerful than I was,” she said, adding that she ran home and vowed to never be alone with him again.
Susan Braudy finished working for the actor in 1989.
Michael Douglas, who originally spoke to Deadline, said: “I pride myself on my reputation in this business, not to mention the long history of my father and everything else.
“I don’t have skeletons in my closet, or anyone else who’s coming out or saying this. I’m bewildered why, after 32 years, this is coming out, now.”
The actor also claimed there is no evidence against him and he feared that such accusations could set back the #MeToo movement that has grown in the wake of the Hollywood harassment scandal.
Michael Douglas said: “Being accused, without a chance [to defend yourself] in court. To not even really have the information in front of you, to be able to argue or defend yourself.
“There is no due process, no chance of seeing evidence in front of me from my accuser. It worries me.”
Susan Braudy told The Hollywood Reporter she was not surprised by the way Michael Douglas had issued his denial.
She claimed the manner in which he did so was “part of the problem, as is his pretext of victimization”.
Susan Braudy added: “These are some reasons why so many women don’t come forward with their stories – Lord knows it’s taken 30 years and a movement for me to gather my courage.”
Mark Wahlberg has donated $1.5 million to the Time’s Up legal defense fund.
The move comes after it emerged that the actor was paid $1.5 million to reshoot scenes for All The Money in the World.
Mark Wahlberg’s female co-star, Michelle Williams, was paid $80 a day for the extra work.
Scenes had to be reshot after Kevin Spacey was removed from the completed movie following the allegations of assault and inappropriate behavior against him.
The Time’s Up legal defense fund will offer support to people who have experienced harassment, abuse or assault in the workplace.
The campaign is a movement against harassment that was founded at the start of January as a response to recent harassment allegations in the media, film, and broadcasting.
The issue of harassment and abuse has risen in prominence after allegations were made in 2017 against figures such as Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey.
In December 2017, Time magazine named the “Silence Breakers” as its “Person of the Year”.
The “Silence Breakers” were women and men who spoke out against abuse and harassment.
In 2017, the #MeToo hashtag led to women and men from all walks of life opening up on social media about their experiences of these issues.
Last week, at the Golden Globes awards ceremony, stars such as Oprah Winfrey spoke candidly about the discrimination that women face.
The issue of the equal pay and a “gender pay gap” has become a prominent issue across many sectors in recent months.
Actor James Franco has been accused of inappropriate behavior by five women, including students from his acting school.
Four of James Franco’s former students and an actress who said the actor was her mentor told the LA Times they were victims of “an abuse of power”.
The latest accusations come after claims against James Franco on social media following his best actor win at this year’s Golden Globe awards.
James Franco, 39, said the earlier allegations made on Twitter were “not accurate”.
On January 7, James Franco attended the Globes ceremony wearing a Time’s Up pin on his lapel, signaling his support for an initiative aimed at combating harassment in the film industry and other workplaces.
That prompted accusations of inappropriate behavior against him on Twitter from actresses Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Violet Paley.
On January 11, Sarah Tither-Kaplan told LA Times that James Franco participated in an “abuse of power” on film sets designed to create a “culture of exploiting non-celebrity women”.
James Franco taught a number of acting classes at two film schools opened in 2014, both named Studio 4.
His attorney, Michael Plonsker, told the LA Times that the actor disputes the allegations.
Actress Ally Sheedy was among those to question James Franco’s appearance at the Globes, where he won an award for his role in The Disaster Artist, which details the making of notorious 2003 film The Room.
Ally Sheedy posted a series of cryptic tweets during the ceremony, one of which asked: “Why is James Franco allowed in?”
“James Franco just won,” another of her now deleted posts read.
“Please never ever ask me why I left the film/tv business.”
Rose McGowan, a prominent campaigner against inappropriate behavior in the entertainment industry, said on Twitter that Hollywood had been “selectively deaf” about James Franco.
This year’s ceremony saw several winners address Hollywood’s abuse scandal in their acceptance speeches.
Many attendees opted to wear black to express solidarity with victims of abuse and harassment.
In an open letter, Catherine Deneuve and other French women has said that men should be “free to hit on” women.
The veteran actress is one of 100 French women who wrote the letter, warning about a new “puritanism” sparked by recent harassment scandals.
The letter deplores a wave of “denunciations” after claims that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has raped or assaulted dozens of women.
Harvey Weinstein has denied all allegations of non-consensual contacts.
However, the mogul has admitted that his behavior has “caused a lot of pain”.
The letter by French women writers, performers and academics was published in France’s Le Monde newspaper on January 9.
The letter said: “Men have been punished summarily, forced out of their jobs when all they did was touch someone’s knee or try to steal a kiss.
“Rape is a crime, but trying to seduce someone, even persistently or clumsily, is not – and nor is men being gentlemanly a chauvinist attack.”
The authors argued that there was a new “puritanism” afoot in the world.
The signatories said that while it was legitimate and necessary to speak out against the abuse of power by some men, the constant denunciations have spiraled out of control.
According to the writers, this is creating a public mood in which women are seen as powerless, as perpetual victims.
Catherine Deneuve is by far the most prominent of them.
The other 99 women who signed the document include some well-known figures, such as actress Christine Boisson; conservative journalist Élisabeth Lévy; talk-show host Brigitte Lahaie; Catherine Millet, a writer and magazine editor.
There are also lesser-known names from the worlds of entertainment, the arts, the media, and academia. Most of them, however, are professionals who are not known to the French public.
The letter has stirred debate in France. On January 10, a group of about 30 feminists issued a statement accusing Catherine Deneuve and her co-signatories of seeking to “close the lid” on the scandals uncovered by the Weinstein case, and of “pouring scorn” on victims of harassment.
On social media, many expressed either anger or sadness at the open letter.
The debate has mostly pitted those belonging to the older generation, who view #Metoo and similar campaigns as a threat to the liberation achieved in the 1960s, against younger, activist types who feel that the battle against harassment is the latest stage in the fight for women’s rights.
Catherine Deneuve, 74, is not known as an activist star. However, last year she spoke out against social media campaigns shaming men accused of harassing women.
Women and men from all over the globe who have been harassed have been sharing their stories across social media using the hashtag #MeToo.
In France, Twitter users are using #Balancetonporc (“rat on your dirty old man”) to encourage women to name and shame their attackers.
Catherine Deneuve, an Oscar-nominated actress, has been in more than 100 movies, making her debut in 1957.
Craig McLachlan has denied allegations of harassment made against him by three women.
The accusations against the 52-year-old Australian actor concern his time performing in a 2014 production of the Rocky Horror Show.
Three cast members accused the former Neighbors actor of inappropriate touching and harassment.
Craig McLachlan stepped down from the Rocky Horror Show‘s current Australian run on January 8, but rejected the allegations as “entirely false”.
The actor wrote in response to allegations published by the Australian Broadcasting Corp: “Frankly, they seem to be simple inventions, perhaps made for financial reasons, perhaps to gain notoriety.”
The three actresses, Christie Whelan Browne, Erika Heynatz and Angela Scundi, said they had come forward to protect other cast members. Craig McLachlan had been reprising his role as Dr. Frank N. Furter in Adelaide.
The allegations, also published by Fairfax Media on January 8, include Craig McLachlan’s inappropriate behavior against Whelan Browne during a performance.
“I think people who know him know that he’s very generous, warm, funny… I saw a very different side come out in him which was terrifying,” Whelan Browne told the ABC.
Erika Heynatz, who played Magenta, said she was forcibly kissed by the actor, while Angela Scundi, a chorus member, said she was the subject of unwanted advances.
Two actresses raised concerns with the show’s senior producers but no action was taken, the reports said.
In a statement on January 8, the musical’s production company said it was “shocked” to learn of the accusations.
Gordon Frost Organization said in a statement: “In response, we have spoken to Craig and have mutually agreed that it is not appropriate for him to continue in the current production of the show.”
It said it would co-operate with authorities and conduct and internal investigation.
Craig McLachlan is a veteran of the Australian entertainment industry, having won Australia’s top TV award – the Gold Logie – and starred in programs including Home and Away and the Doctor Blake Mysteries.
Anti-harassment speeches and powerful statements of unity have dominated this year’s Golden Globe awards.
It was the first major Hollywood awards ceremony since the film industry was hit by harassment scandals, with stars wearing black to honor victims.
Oprah Winfrey summed up the mood, saying “a new day is on the horizon” as she collected an honorary award at the 75th edition of Golden Globes.
The big winner of the night was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which took home four awards.
It won the best film drama award, with its star Frances McDormand also picking up a trophy for best actress.
Frances McDormand stars as a grieving mother who challenges police over the fact her daughter’s killer has not been found.
Big Little Lies won the most awards in the TV categories, including honors for its stars Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgard. It was also named best limited TV series.
Nicole Kidman won the first award of the night for her role as a victim of domestic violence.
She dedicated her win to her castmates, daughters and mother, saying: “Wow, the power of women.”
The Golden Globes are organized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and are seen as an indicator of which films are likely to do well at the Oscars, which take place on March 4.
The main focus on the night was on the current atmosphere in Hollywood and campaigns like Me Too and Time’s Up, which are focused on bringing about change for women not only in the entertainment industry but also around the world.
Many winners and presenters at the Beverly Hills ceremony addressed the ongoing scandal – with host Seth Meyers setting the tone with his opening monologue.
It was Oprah whose speech had the biggest reaction, with stars applauding and rising to their feet.
Speaking as she was awarded the honorary Cecil B. DeMille trophy – the first black woman to get the honor – Oprah Winfrey said: “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.
“For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up!”
The theme was echoed by Laura Dern, winner of a best supporting actress for Big Little Lies, who said: “Many of us were taught not to tattle.
“It was a culture of silencing, and that was normalized… May we teach our children that speaking out without the fear of retribution is our culture’s new North Star.”
Barbra Streisand used her presenting slot to express outrage that she remains the only woman to win the best director award at the ceremony – and that was back in 1984.
She said: “Folks, time’s up. We need more women directors and more women to be nominated for best director.”
More than 300 Hollywood A-list women, including actresses, writers and directors, have launched Time’s Up project to help fight harassment in the film industry and other workplaces.
The Time’s Up initiative was announced via a full-page advert printed in the New York Times.
The project is described as a “unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere”.
It comes in the wake of abuse allegations by high-profile actresses against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
In a solidarity letter published on its website, Time’s Up says the “struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard” must end.
It added: “Time’s up on this impenetrable monopoly.”
The letter, which is aimed at “every woman… who has had to fend off s**ual advances”, goes on to say that such harassment can often continue because “perpetrators and employers never face any consequences”.
The Time’s Up campaign, which is backed by hundreds of actresses including Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon, Cate Blanchett, Eva Longoria and Emma Stone, has already raised more than $13 million of its $15 million target.
The funds raised will be used as legal support for both female and male victims of harassment at work.
The project is aimed primarily at those who are unable to meet the payments to defend themselves, such as agricultural or factory workers, caretakers and waitresses.
The Time’s Up initiative also calls for “gender inequality and the imbalance of power” to be addressed, stressing the need for more women to gain positions of authority and parity of pay.
Last month, Time magazine named “the Silence Breakers” – women and men who spoke out against abuse and harassment – as its “Person of the Year” for 2017.
2017 also saw the rise of the #MeToo hashtag, which inspired a global movement of women and men to share their stories of abuse and harassment.
The #MeToo hashtag gained momentum after actress Alyssa Milano took to Twitter to ask victims of assault to come forward in a show of solidarity.
Between October and December 2017, #MeToo was used on Twitter and Facebook more than six million times.
President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, has been accused of assault by singer Joy Villa.
According to Joy Villa, Corey Lewandowski hit her twice on the backside during an event in Washington last month.
The singer told media she spoke to the police on Christmas Eve, having been persuaded to launch a formal complaint by friends.
Corey Lewandowski has not responded to media’s requests for comment.
The accusations are the latest in a long line of harassment and assault claims linked to celebrities, politicians and companies, which have gathered pace in the past year, particularly following the downfall of film producer Harvey Weinstein.
According to Associated Press, Joy Villa said: “I was initially fearful to come forward with this.”
She said she did not want to embarrass Corey Lewandowski’s family or hers.
Joy Villa, who is a vocal Trump supporter and wore a “Make America Great Again” dress to the 2017 Grammy Awards, was at a gathering at Trump International Hotel when she posed for a photograph with Corey Lewandowski, whom, she says, she had never met before.
The singer alleges Corey Lewandowski hit her once on the buttocks, and when she asked him to stop and joked about reporting him for harassment, he did it again. She said he laughed, adding: “I work in the private sector.”
Joy Villa said the hard slaps felt “disgusting and shocking and demeaning”.
Politico first reported on the incident last week, saying they had talked to a witness who spoke out before Joy Villa did.
Joy Villa has previously said she is considering running for Congress – and President Donald Trump has tweeted his support.
Donald Trump fired Corey Lewandowski as campaign manager in June 2016.
Earlier last year, Corey Lewandowski was charged with battery after allegedly yanking a female reporter out of Donald Trump’s way after a campaign event. The charges were later dropped.
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