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Why the New York Times Reportedly Killed a Story About Harvey Weinstein’s Sexual Misconduct Back in 2004

Oct 9, 2017  •  Post A Comment

The New York Times was moving forward with a story about Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct in 2004, until Weinstein ratcheted up pressure on the newspaper, according to a report in TheWrap by former New York Times reporter Sharon Waxman.

Waxman writes that she reported a story for The Times in 2004 about Weinstein’s exploits in Europe, but the story as she reported it never ran. Waxman notes that she was still a relatively new hire at The Times in 2004.

A key player in her story was Fabrizio Lombardo, the head of Miramax Italy at the time, whom Waxman describes as “a procurer.” Lombardo apparently left Miramax around the time of Waxman’s investigation.

“After intense pressure from Weinstein, which included having Matt Damon and Russell Crowe call me directly to vouch for Lombardo and unknown discussions well above my head at The Times, the story was gutted,” Waxman writes. “I was told at the time that Weinstein had visited the newsroom in person to make his displeasure known. I knew he was a major advertiser in The Times, and that he was a powerful person overall.”

Waxman adds: “The story was stripped of any reference to sexual favors or coercion and buried on the inside of the Culture section, an obscure story about Miramax firing an Italian executive [Lombardo]. Who cared?”

Waxman says she also met with a woman in London who had reportedly been paid off after an unwanted sexual encounter with Weinstein. “She was terrified to speak because of her non-disclosure agreement, but at least we had evidence of a payoff,” Waxman writes.

3 Comments

  1. Well this is certainly shocking !! That the New York Times would put $$$ and politics at greater importance than actually accurately covering the news has just burst my bubble of the purity of not only the New York Times, but also every left leaning news organization in our country. There’s an old adage that “ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS.” Trump SAYS some crass things and it’s WW III. Weinstein actually DOES grossly repugnant things and “Uhhh, Guys…let’s kill this story.” I guess the New York Times and Hollywood are just a bunch of hypocrites. I think CNN should rush to interview Damon and Crowe and ask them how they could have betrayed the “sisterhood” in such a terrible way. Waiting…Waiting…Waiting…

  2. “She was terrified to speak because of her non-disclosure agreement, but at least we had EVIDENCE of a payoff,” Waxman writes. If Waxman really has “evidence of a payoff”, she needs to disclose it. Otherwise, she sounds like just another reporter of “Fake News” trying to get her 15 minutes of fame.

  3. How many women have been harassed in the last 12 years because of this failure to report his actions? This is what allows this type of action to continue. Yes these women were intimidated and afraid. But was the NYTimes. The people with power who knew of this and helped cover it up for their own profit are as responsible as Weinstein.

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