Star NYT Reporter Won't Be Fired After Sexual Misconduct Claims

WASHINGTON, DC — New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush, who was suspended in November over sexual misconduct allegations, will not be fired but will be removed from the White House beat, the paper announced Wednesday.

Thrush was suspended after four women accused him of sexual misconduct in a story published in Vox on Nov. 20. In the report, several women claimed Thrush acted inappropriately toward them when they were trying to get a foothold in the competitive Washington political reporting scene. The women recounted a range of unwanted sexual advances by Thrush, including unwanted touching and kissing, several of which played out at night in D.C.-area bars under the influence of alcohol.

In a statement Wednesday, The New York Times Executive Editor Dean Banquet said Thrush acted in ways that “we do not condone.”

“While we believe that Glenn has acted offensively, we have decided that he does not deserve to be fired. Instead, we have suspended him for two months and removed him from the White House beat,” Banquet continued. “He will receive training designed to improve his workplace conduct."

He added that Thrush has decided to undergo counseling and receive treatment for his substance abuse. Thrush had announced his decision to get treatment, in part for his use of alcohol, after the Vox report was published.

Thrush joined The New York Times from Politico in January to cover the Trump White House and rose to be one of the most prominent reporters at the newspaper. He was working on a book about the Trump administration with fellow New York Times White House reporter Maggie Haberman when he was suspended.

The book’s publisher, Random House, said after Thrush was accused that they are looking “seriously” at the accusations against him.

Thrush was also an MSNBC political contributor. The network said last month that they are waiting the result of the Times investigation into Thrush.

Photo credit: Mark Wilson/Associated Press