Ronan Farrow Claims Harvey Weinstein Was Using National Enquirer Dirt on Matt Lauer’s Alleged Workplace Misconduct to Pressure NBC into Killing Exposé

By Christine Zosche 

Catch And Kill, the new book from New Yorker correspondent Ronan Farrow, outlines how Hollywood can go about trying to shut down potentially unflattering stories. (TVNewser)

In the book, Farrow, a former NBC News investigative reporter, writes that Harvey Weinstein informed NBC News chairman Andy Lack that he was aware of Matt Lauer’s past alleged sexual misconduct in the workplace, and could make the information public unless Lack would help “kill” Farrow’s investigative report into Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct. (TVNewser)

In the book, Farrow also details the accusation made by former NBC Newser Brooke Nevils that Lauer raped her during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. “The story Brooke tells is filled with false details intended only to create the impression this was an abusive encounter,” Lauer responded Wednesday. He also writes that his silence “has been a mistake.” (TVNewser)

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Today show co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb reacted to the news Wednesday morning on the program. NBC News correspondent Morgan Radford read the network’s statement: “Matt Lauer’s conduct was appalling, horrific and reprehensible, as we said at the time, that’s why he was fired within 24 hours of us first learning of the complaint.” (TVNewser)

“This is shocking and appalling, and I honestly don’t even know what to say about it,” Guthrie said. “I know it wasn’t easy for our colleague Brooke to come forward then. It’s not easy now, and we support her and any other women who have come forward with claims.” “There are not allegations of an affair,” Kotb said. “They’re allegations of a crime.” (HuffPost)

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