WASHINGTON — NBC fired morning news anchor Matt Lauer after a complaint about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace, and the company’s chairman said there is reason to believe it was not an isolated incident.
NBC Chairman Andy Lack said in a statement that a “detailed complaint” had been received Monday night and that it was “a clear violation of our company’s standards.”
Lauer, 59, had been with NBC for more than 20 years.
Here is the email Lack sent to NBC’s colleagues:
Dear Colleagues,
On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company’s standards. As a result, we’ve decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.
Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender.
We are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization – and do it in as transparent a manner as we can. To that end, Noah and I will be meeting with as many of you as possible throughout the day today to answer your questions.
Andy Lack
In announcing the news, Today co-host Savannah Guthrie appeared on the verge of tears and said she was “heartbroken.”
CNN media correspondent Brian Stelter said for several weeks The New York Times has been investigating Lauer.
Stelter noted NBC acted before a damning story about Lauer could be published.
“Monday night the network said it received a complaint, early Wednesday morning staffers were told Matt Lauer is out. It is a stunning move by NBC, and it begs the question what the network knows that we don’t know.”
Stelter says he’s been trying to get comment from Lauer.
President Donald Trump didn’t hesitate to comment on Lauer on Twitter.
Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017
The move by NBC comes a week after CBS News fired morning anchor Charlie Rose amid reports of sexual misconduct. Other men prominent in journalism, entertainment and politics have been accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of allegations against former Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein. They include Lauer’s former NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, former Fox News prime-time host Bill O’Reilly and National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes. Former Politico reporter Glenn Thrush, who is now with The New York Times as a White House correspondent, was suspended last week.
Complaints also surfaced against members of Congress, including Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., called the problem of sexual harassment “very big and very bad,” but told WTOP one salutary development that has come from the reports.
“Women have felt courageous enough to speak out about against men who abuse them. For so long, for reasons of power, for reasons of worrying about being fired, women have felt uncomfortable about being immediate and clear about things that happen,” Kaine said.
“I think we have crossed a cultural rubicon here where now people can feel comfortable in coming forward if folks are abusing them, and that’s a very good thing. It’s painful to see these stories, but on balance it’s a really good thing when people who have been abused aren’t afraid to come forward.”
Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., agrees with Kaine,
“I am positively impacted by women now willing to come out and talk about these instances, whereas before, they were not. I think that positive impact should occur with everybody — to be aware of that, to make sure these instances are brought to light, that people are held accountable,” Wittman told WTOP.
Wittman said the news of Matt Lauer “shook everybody.” Wittman said more needs to be done to make sure women are not sexually harassed and that such behavior is not covered up or taken lightly.
“This by any measure is unacceptable behavior, and I’m glad to see women are coming forward, saying ‘Hey, we suffered through this, we want to see people are held accountable.’ As disruptive as this is, it is needed to a change to occur,” Wittman said.
WTOP’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this story.
