WEINSTEIN FIRED AMID ‘NEW’ INFO
NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein has been fired from The Weinstein Co., effective immediately, following new information revealed regarding his conduct, the company’s board of directors announced last night.
Weinstein had previously voluntarily taken a leave of absence following decades of sexual harassment allegations detailed Thursday in a New York Times expose. The board Friday endorsed that decision.
But it went further yesterday, removing Weinstein from the company he co-founded.
In a statement, the board cited “new information” about Weinstein’s conduct that has emerged in the past few days. An attorney for Weinstein didn’t immediately comment.
Since news broke last week, leading Democratic politicians including U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren have been returning or donating political contributions they received from Weinstein — long considered a liberal fund-raising powerhouse. Hollywood and the late-night TV comic circuit have been criticized for remaining silent.
Weinstein lost key support over the weekend from people within his close circle of associates and in the larger media industry as the disgraced film executive moved to contain the fallout from his sexual harassment scandal.
Two important members of his crisis team quit Saturday — Los Angeles attorney Lisa Bloom and crisis manager Lanny Davis, a former special counsel to former President Bill Clinton who has been a longtime friend to Hillary Clinton.
Weinstein was a major supporter for Hillary Clinton’s failed run for the presidency, donating tens of thousands of dollars to her campaign and throwing celebrity fundraisers for the Democratic nominee.
Saturday, President Trump was asked by a reporter what he thought about the Weinstein scandal. The president said he has known Weinstein a long time, adding, “I’m not at all surprised to see it.”
At least three Weinstein Co. board members resigned their positions in the wake of allegations published in The New York Times that the Oscar-winning movie and TV producer had sexually harassed numerous actresses — including Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan — as well as his own employees over a span of more than 20 years.
The board members who resigned include billionaire Dirk Ziff, a managing partner at Ziff Capital Partners, as well as Marc Lasry and Tim Sarnoff.
The remaining board members hired a law firm to investigate the sexual harassment allegations against the indie film boss.