CBSNews.com is reporting that the CBS board of directors has decided to consolidate oversight of the investigations into claims of sexual harassment made against CBS CEO Les Moonves, as well as the investigation into CBS News, including former CBS News chairman, and current 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager.
Findings from the Proskauer Rose investigation into CBS News, which began in March, are going be folded into the larger CBS probe, which includes efforts of two other law firms that were hired last Monday by the CBS board–Covington & Burling and Debevoise & Plimpton–CBS News staffers were reportedly told Tuesday. CBS News management apparently was not aware of a timeline for the additional investigations.
In March 2018, CBS Corp. retained the services of Betsy Plevan from the law firm Proskauer Rose to investigate the claims detailed in the November 2017 Washington Post story which led to the firing of Charlie Rose from CBS News a day later.
The news division president David Rhodes wrote in an internal note to CBS News staffers this past Friday that the initial investigation undertaken in March by Proskauer Rose into alleged harassment at CBS News “is expected to return its conclusions this month.”
But not that the investigation is being folded into the other CBS Corp. investigation, it appears that the CBS News investigation will not “return its conclusions” this month.
This now begs the question: When—if ever—will Jeff Fager return to CBS News and 60 Minutes? This past Sunday, CNN reported that Fager was to remain on summer vacation, despite previous reports that he would return to the office on Monday.
“Having heard the investigation will be wrapping up soon, Jeff has decided to stay on vacation,” a CBS News spokesperson confirmed to TVNewser on Monday.
It is unknown when Fager will return to the office.
Nineteen CBS Newsers, current and former, told the New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow in his bombshell story published last month that Fager enabled harassment during his lengthy tenure at CBS News.
Fager continues to deny any wrongdoing.