Charlie Rose settles sex harassment suit filed
by 3 ex-CBS employees: report
Charlie Rose has settled a six-year-old lawsuit filed by three ex-CBS employees who had accused the legendary TV host of sexual harassment.
The lawsuit, which alleged that Rose engaged in unwanted kissing and touching and also made inappropriate comments, was initially filed in New York Supreme Court in 2018 by former CBS staffers Katherine Brooks Harris, Sydney McNeal and Yuqing “Chelsea” Wei.
The three women released a statement to the court that was signed on Sunday which read: “This case is about workplace interactions.”
“Through the process of years of litigation, the parties have come to better understand each others’ points of view,” the statement read.
“On reflection, and after having the benefit of discovery, we realize that different people could interpret the conduct in different ways, and therefore we have resolved the claims.”
The three women said in the statement that they “do not assign any bad motive or ill intent to Charlie Rose.”
The parties settled the case on Sunday “with prejudice and without costs to any party,” according to court documents.
Specific terms of the settlement were not made public. Jury selection for a trial was set to begin Monday.
Court documents show that Wei told HR officials at CBS News that “I experience nothing sexually inappropriate” from Rose.
Right! Then why did you sue him?
Harris, meanwhile, wrote an email to Rose after he was fired asking him for career advice, saying “your interactions with me were always professional and respectful and that’s the only experience i have with you.”
Right! Then why did you sue him?
The three women, who worked at “CBS This Morning” while Rose was co-anchor, had alleged in their complaint that Rose made inappropriate sexual comments to them and frequently caressed and touched their arms, shoulders, waist and back.
Rose is also alleged to have pulled them close to his body and kissed them on the cheek. The lawsuit included allegations that Rose detailed his sexual conquests to McNeal and Harris and directed them to share details with him about their sex lives.
The former host is also alleged to have suggested to McNeal and Harris that they become lovers, according to court papers.
Gosh! I don't see anything sexual, disrespectful, or unprofessional there at all. Do you?
An attorney for Rose declined to comment.
The Post has sought comment from Harris, McNeal and Wei.
In late 2017, Rose was fired by CBS and PBS dropped his long-running interview talk show after the Washington Post published a story in which eight women alleged that he sexually harassed them in incidents spanning over two decades.
In May 2018, the Washington Post ran a follow-up piece that included accusations of sexual harassment against Rose by 27 additional women.
The second Washington Post article prompted Wei, Harris and McNeal to file a sexual harassment lawsuit against Rose and CBS News.
The two former staffers accused Rose of “blatant and repeated sexual harassment harassment” that was committed against “three junior female employees in their 20s.”
Court documents obtained by The Post included statements provided by Wei to a human resources officer at CBS News in November 2017 in which the former staffer said that “I experience nothing sexually inappropriate” from Rose.
Wei alleged in the meeting with HR that she did “experience verbal abuse” from Rose, who is alleged to have reprimanded her by saying: “Why can’t you just get this right.”
The court documents also included a copy of an email that Harris wrote to Rose on Jan. 3, 2018 — weeks after his termination from CBS News.
The email, whose subject line reads “checking in,” began with Harris writing: “Hi Charlie,…”
“I’m sure the past weeks have been very painful,” Harris wrote. “It seems that you acknowledge having made some unfortunate misjudgments in the past.”
“Notwithstanding, your interactions with me were always professional and respectful and that’s the only experience I have with you.”
“I don’t know if you have had time to sort our your path forward,” Harris continued. “Assuming there may not be further opportunities with you, I am pondering my next move and a new start and I was wondering what you think I should do.”
Harris wrote that she “would like to stay in news and you know the industry better than anyone.”
“You also know me and my strengths,” she continued, adding: “I value your experience and your opinion and would love to know what you think might be a good step for me.”
“Looking forward to hearing from you. Happy New Year,” Brooks wrote. She signed the letter: “Best, Brooks.”
The documents also included a note from McNeal’s psychiatrist in which she professed to “zero experience” of sexual harassment from Rose.
CBS News settled with the three women in December 2018.
Very curious! Charlie is completely innocent and all 35 female complainants were wrong! Good grief!
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