The Washington Post reported early this morning that 27 more women came forward with Charlie Rose sexual harassment allegations. Back in November, the Post published an exposé detailing allegations from eight women — aspiring or permanent employees at the “Charlie Rose” show — which accused the TV journalist and host of groping, walking “naked in their presence” and making lewd phone calls. CBS News fired him, and his PBS show was canceled.
Of the nearly three dozen women who have come forward with new allegations, 14 worked with Rose at CBS News and 13 worked with him at other networks. The allegations date back to 1976.
Rose did not deny the first set of allegations when he issued a statement to the Post last fall: “In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked. Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues.”
The 76-year-old continued, “It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.”
Rose’s response to these new allegations, according to the Post, came in a one-sentence email: “Your story is unfair and inaccurate.”
27 more women come out with Charlie Rose sexual harassment allegations
The Post said they’ve interviewed 107 current and former CBS News employees and 24 others who worked with the TV host at other stations. The investigation lasted over a five-month period, and many of those interviewed spoke anonymously.
The first incident the Post reported, from 1976, involved a former research assistant at NBC News Washington bureau. Rose allegedly “exposed his penis and touched her breasts.”
The Post also found three instances over a period of 30 years where CBS managers were warned about Rose’s sexual misconduct. One occurred as far back as 1986, when he asked Annmarie Parr, a 22-year-old news clerk at the time, “Annmarie, do you like sex? Do you enjoy it? How often do you like to have sex?” The most recent instance where managers were made aware of his behavior was last year.
Sophie Gayter, 27, said that Rose groped her backside in 2013 when they walked down a hallway at the “60 Minutes” office. She, along with others who alleged sexual harassment, said CBS executives seemed to prioritize “male stars,” so reporting accounts of inappropriate advances and/or touching was widely feared.
“I had been there long enough to know that it was just the way things went,” Gayter told the Post. “People said what they wanted to you, people did what they wanted to you.”
Attorney Ken Goldberg who represents three of these women — Brooke Harris, Sydney McNeal and Chelsea Wei — told the Post that his clients plan to file a lawsuit soon.
CBS News responds to Charlie Rose sexual harassment allegations
CBS News issued a statement in response to these new allegations, saying:
“Since we terminated Charlie Rose, we’ve worked to strengthen existing systems to ensure a safe environment where everyone can do their best work. Some of the actions we have taken have been reported publicly, some have not. We offer employees discretion and fairness, and we take swift action when we learn of unacceptable behavior. That said, we cannot corroborate or confirm many of the situations described. We continue to look for ways to improve our workplace and this period of reflection and action has been important to all of us. We are not done with this process.”
