A prominent New York Times journalist has been suspended after he was accused of sexual misconduct from several female journalists who claim he made unwanted advances on them in a bar setting.
Glenn Thrush, a White House Correspondent for the newspaper, was suspended from his position on Monday after a bombshell report by Vox.
The article featured several testimonies from female journalists who claim Thrush used his influential professional stature to touch them inappropriately and kiss them.
Most of the indiscretions occurred in a bar setting where Thrush had been drinking, the women claim.
Thrush has since entered a substance abuse program and the New York Times said they supported his decision as it investigates the allegations made against him.
Glenn Thrush, a White House Correspondent for the New York Times, was suspended over sexual misconduct allegations, the newspaper announced on Monday
Thrush has since entered a substance abuse program and the New York Times said they supported his decision while the paper investigates the allegations
In a statement, The New York Times said: ‘The alleged behavior is very concerning and not in keeping with the standards and values of The New York Times.
‘We intend to fully investigate and while we do, Glenn will be suspended. We support his decision to enter a substance abuse program. In the meantime, we will not be commenting further.’
Most of the alleged incidents occurred when Thrush was a reporter for Politico in Washington D.C, a position he left in January 2016 to move to the Times.
But one incident occurred as recently as June.
Most of the women who made the claims are described as being in their 20s when Thrush made the unwanted advances.
Journalist Bianca Padró Ocasio said that her 23-year-old friend had a harrowing encounter with Thrush, which resulted in tears and Padro Ocasio confronting Thrush over his behavior.
Padró Ocasio claims that her friend was in Washington D.C. for an internship this summer and was warned to be wary of Thrush.
The unnamed woman said she happened to find herself at a bar with Thrush in June and he asked her to go alone with him to another bar.
Padró Ocasio said her friend texted her and another woman about what was happening and said: ‘I’m drunk. I’m nervous about this Glenn situation.’
![Thrush said in a statement to Vox: 'The June incident was a life-changing event [for me]. The woman involved was upset by my actions and for that I am deeply sorry. Over the past several years, I have responded to a succession of personal and health crises by drinking heavily'](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/11/20/17/468BCC7500000578-0-image-a-14_1511197741533.jpg)
Thrush said in a statement to Vox: ‘The June incident was a life-changing event [for me]. The woman involved was upset by my actions and for that I am deeply sorry. Over the past several years, I have responded to a succession of personal and health crises by drinking heavily’
Journalist Bianca Padró Ocasio (pictured) said that her 23-year-old friend had a harrowing encounter with Thrush in June, which resulted in tears and Padro Ocasio confronting Thrush about his behavior
Screenshots obtained by Vox show that the unnamed woman’s friends urged her to order an Uber ride home.
However, the woman found herself walking with Thrush, who repeatedly tried to hold her hand, despite brushing him off, she said.
At one point, along a dark path, Thrush kissed her and she panicked, she recalls.
The kiss was interrupted by a call from Padró Ocasio who explained to Vox: ‘I felt very protective of her. I thought, she’s drunk right now. If I don’t do something, I’m not going to forgive myself.’
The woman ordered a ride home but while she waiting, Thrush started to kiss her again and she began to cry, prompting Thrush to leave.
An email thread shows that Thrush contacted the woman the next morning saying ‘Nice meeting you!’ with the added note ‘And apologies?’
The woman said she replied: ‘It was nice meeting you too! (And no worries haha).’
She explained: ‘I hate feeling obligated to make him think I think everything is fine.
‘It’s been this thing hanging over me. I feel like I have to be nice to this person just because he knows people.’
Later, Padró Ocasio texted Thrush over the incident, asking: ‘I want to make sure you don’t lure young aspiring women journalists into those situations ever again. So help me out here. How can I do that?’
Thrush said in a statement to Vox: ‘The June incident [described above] was a life-changing event [for me]. The woman involved was upset by my actions and for that I am deeply sorry.
‘Over the past several years, I have responded to a succession of personal and health crises by drinking heavily. During that period, I have done things that I am ashamed of, actions that have brought great hurt to my family and friends.
‘I have not taken a drink since June 15, 2017, have resumed counseling and will soon begin out-patient treatment for alcoholism. I am working hard to repair the damage I have done.’
Other stories follow a similar pattern.
Laura McGann, a Politico colleague of Thrush’s, wrote that Thrush kissed her and placed his hand on her thigh one night in a bar, after urging another person who had been sitting with them to leave.
‘He slid into my side of the booth, blocking me in,’ McGann wrote. ‘I was wearing a skirt, and he put his hand on my thigh. He started kissing me. I pulled myself together and got out of there, shoving him on my way out.’
One former Politico employee said her incident occurred at a going away party in the winter of 2012.
The party was held at a bar and the two had been drinking when Thrush offered her a ride home, and somehow the two ended up together at the woman’s house.
She told the news outlet: ‘I had alcohol blur. I remember stopping him at one point and saying, “Wait, you’re married”.’
Thrush worked at Politico from 2009 to 2016 before covering Trump and the White House for the New York Times
Laura McGann (pictured), a Politico colleague of Thrush’s, wrote that Thrush kissed her and placed his hand on her thigh one night in a bar, after urging another person who had been sitting with them to leave
After remarking on Thrush’s marriage, the 50-year-old left the woman’s home and she recalled that she ‘didn’t have much clothes on.’
The woman said she felt that she wasn’t pressured or that she was a victim, but wondered if he told her coworkers at Politico and that impacted her reputation at the office.
A friend of the woman told the news outlet: ‘I remember she kept reemphasizing that they were both really drunk, that it was consensual.
‘And she did not believe it was an assault. But I do remember she was very rattled and upset and ashamed of what she saw as her role in it.’
Another woman recalls at another Politico party in 2013 when Thrush came up to her and suddenly kissed her on her ear.
She told Vox: ‘It all happened very quickly. And he leaned in very quickly.
‘At the time, I remember thinking … adults sometimes kiss each other on the cheek. Then sometimes they miss and slobber on your ear.
‘It was my way of thinking this wasn’t as weird as I thought.’
Thrush worked at Politico from 2009 to 2016 before covering Trump and the White House for the New York Times.