Tavis Smiley
PBS host Tavis Smiley has been suspended after accusations of sexual misconduct. Yesterday, PBS issued the following statement:
Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of ‘Tavis Smiley,’ produced by TS Media, an independent production company PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision.
Sources told Variety that lawyers took reports from 10 witnesses. Smiley says "I have the utmost respect for women and celebrate the courage of those who have come forth to tell their truth. To be clear, I have never groped, coerced, or exposed myself inappropriately to any workplace colleague in my entire broadcast career, covering 6 networks over 30 years.” We will see how this story develops.
Steve Lebsock
Colorado State Representative Steve Lebsock (Democrat) has taken a polygraph test in an attempt to discredit allegations of sexual misconduct. He has stated that he believes the accusations are politically motivated.
Dan Johnson
Dan Johnson, a Republican state representative from Kentucky, has committed suicide after being accused of sexually molesting a teenaged girl, an accusation he vehemently denies. He was found dead of a gunshot wound last night after posting this message on his Facebook page:
The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news . Conservatives take a stand.
I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world,My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU.
9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME. “PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT !
Johnson was being investigated for molesting a 17 year-old while pastor of Heart of Fire City Church in 2012.
Morgan Spurlock
I understand fully that this issue has become a political distraction and I would be forced to engage in a monthlong campaign for personal vindication. Quite simply, my constituents deserve better. Therefore I'm announcing my decision not to run for re-election.
Harvey Weinstein
Salma Hayek has come forward to say that Harvey Weinstein is her "monster too." In the piece she wrote for the New York Times, she writes:
I don’t think he hated anything more than the word “no.” The absurdity of his demands went from getting a furious call in the middle of the night asking me to fire my agent for a fight he was having with him about a different movie with a different client to physically dragging me out of the opening gala of the Venice Film Festival, which was in honor of “Frida,” so I could hang out at his private party with him and some women I thought were models but I was told later were high-priced prostitutes.
The range of his persuasion tactics went from sweet-talking me to that one time when, in an attack of fury, he said the terrifying words, “I will kill you, don’t think I can’t.”
Wow.
Russell Simmons
Music mogul Russell Simmons has been accused of rape by four women and another five have described sexual misconduct. Incidents span the years from 1983 to as recently as 2016.