Tom Brokaw was looking faded and fatigued as he exited NBC studios on Monday afternoon.
The embattled anchor, who still works as a special correspondent for NBC News, stared down a photographer as he made his way out of the plaza at 30 Rockefeller Center while outfitted in a body-hugging Patagonia top, khaki trench and sneakers.
Brokaw was accused of making unwanted advances towards two women in articles published last Thursday, allegations he vehemently denied just hours later in a letter sent to friends and colleagues.
The 78-year-old newsman may soon be forced to write another letter as well after a third women came forward on Tuesday with allegations against Brokaw.
Mary Reinholz writes about her alleged experience with Brokaw in The Villager, claiming that in 1968 he made an unwanted pass at her during a visit to her home in Laurel Canyon.
Brokaw and NBC News both declined to comment on these latest allegations.
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Hiding in plain sight: Tom Brokaw was seen exiting NBC offices in New York City on Monday (above) afternoon wearing a tightly fitted Patagonia top and khaki trench
Long weekend: The 78-year-old anchor looked pallid and drained as he made his way through the plaza at 30 Rockefeller Center
New accuser: A third woman came forward on Tuesday, with Mary Reinholz (left in the 1970s, right in recent years) claiming that Brokaw made an unwanted sexual advance towards her in 1968
Reinholz claims that Brokaw drove his motor scooter over to her home on the day in question, and that the two were sitting on the couch and talking when he allegedly made his move.
‘We talked and then, abruptly, he was embracing me and giving me a French kiss,’ writes Reinholz.
‘I pulled away, reminding him that he was married and a tryst was out of the question. He said, “Yes, it would be unfair to Meredith,” meaning his wife.’
At the time, Brokaw was working as a news anchor at KNBC in Los Angeles, while Reinholz was a writer for the Los Angeles Free Press.
Reinhol writes that she and Brokaw knew one another from having attended the same press conferences around the city, and she reached out to him for help obtaining a police report.
‘I don’t recall much else about the episode, and shrugged it off as progressive women of my generation were wont to do,’ writes Reinholz.
‘After all, we were overthrowing the sedate 1950s and its dictates that good girls should never engage in premarital sex.’
She then adds: ‘I had been married but wasn’t interested in Brokaw as a sex partner and the situation made me uncomfortable.’
After that she writes that she and Brokaw were in contact a handful of times, but had not seen one another or spoken on the phone for over 40 years.
Reinholz then explains why she waited until now to share her story.
‘I wouldn’t be writing this account if it wasn’t for the #MeToo movement and Brokaw’s disparaging remarks about Linda Vester, a former NBC News reporter and war correspondent who accused him of groping and kissing her on two occasions and arriving at her hotel uninvited,’ writes Reinholz.
She then asks: ‘Why would the two women lie?’
Linda Vester – a former war correspondent for NBC who later anchored NBC News at Sunrise before leaving the network in 1999 to join Fox News – accused Brokaw of making unawanted advances on two ocassions.
She told The Washington Post and Variety magazine that Brokaw, 26 years her elder, forcibly tried to kiss her in 1994 and 1995, while he was the network’s star anchor.
Brokaw said in response that he met Vester twice, ‘both at her request’ because she wanted career advice.
‘The meetings were brief, cordial and appropriate, and despite Linda’s allegations, I made no romantic overtures towards her at that time or any other,’ he said in a statement.
The second woman claims that she was harassed by Brokaw while the then-24-year-old was working as a production assistant.
That anonymous woman accused Brokaw of taking her hands, placing them on his chest and asking her to meet him in his office later that night.
Brokaw denied the allegations made by Vester in a scathing email that was sent on Friday.
‘It is 4:00 am on the first day of my new life as an accused predator in the universe of American journalism,’ wrote Brokaw.
‘I was ambushed and then perp walked across the pages of The Washington Post and Variety as an avatar of male misogyny, taken to the guillotine and stripped of any honor and achievement I had earned in more than a half century of journalism and citizenship.’
Speaking out: On Monday, Megyn Kelly warned the over 60 female employees at NBC who defended Brokaw in a letter by saying: ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’ (Kelly above with Kate Snow and Stephanie Gosk)
Wife: Of the alleged unwanted advance, Reinholz writes: ‘I pulled away, reminding him that he was married and a tryst was out of the question. He said, “Yes, it would be unfair to Meredith,” meaning his wife’ (Brokaw and his wide above in 2013)
Brokaw went on to write about the pain Vester’s accusations have caused him, and made no effort to hide his disdain for the former NBC employee.
‘I am angry, hurt and unmoored from what I thought would be the final passage of my life and career, a mix of written and broadcast journalism, philanthropy and participation in environmental and social causes that have always given extra meaning to my life,’ noted Brokaw.
‘Instead I am facing a long list of grievances from a former colleague who left NBC News angry that she had failed in her pursuit of stardom.’
He continued: ‘She has unleashed a torrent of unsubstantiated criticism and attacks on me more than twenty years after I opened the door for her and a new job at Fox news.’
Brokaw then tried to explain what happened between himself and Vester on the night in question, while also criticizing how the press handled the claims.
‘Linda Vester was given the run of the Washington Post and Variety to vent her grievances, to complain that I tickled her without permission (you read that right), that I invaded her hotel room, accepted an invitation to her apartment under false pretenses and in general was given a free hand to try to destroy all that I have achieved with my family, my NBC career, my writing and my citizenship,’ stated Brokaw.
Reinholz says she is sharing this allegation because people are attacking Linda Vester (above), who made similar claims
‘My family and friends are stunned and supportive. My NBC colleagues are bewildered that Vester, who had limited success at NBC News, a modest career at Fox and a reputation as a colleague who had trouble with the truth was suddenly the keeper of the flame of journalistic integrity.’
The repercussions are already being felt by Brokaw, who elected to cancel his planned commencement speech at Sacred Heart University next month.
NBC initially appeared to looking into Brokaw’s behavior after an internal memo sent by Chairman Andy Lack was released on Friday, but it is now unclear if that is the case.
‘As you have all seen now in reports from last night, there are allegations against Tom Brokaw, made by a former NBC News journalist, which Tom emphatically denies. As we’ve shown, we take allegations such as these very seriously, and act on them quickly and decisively when the facts dictate,’ wrote Lack.
‘The same report included claims against Matt Lauer. As you know, since the week we terminated Matt’s employment, NBC Universal has been conducting a review, led by general counsel Kim Harris -who has extensive experience in conducting reviews of this kind- with a team of legal and HR leaders. Kim has advised us that the review is nearing its conclusion, and we will have findings and further steps to share with you as soon as next week.’
Lack then closed out the memo by stating: ‘Once again, our highest priority is to ensure we have a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected. We are absolutely committed to making this a reality–there can be no exception.’
Brokaw visited the network’s offices in New York City just a few hours after Megyn Kelly warned her co-workers to be careful about voicing their support for Brokaw in the wake of sexual misconduct claims.
‘You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s not in any way to impugn Tom, who I love and who’s been so good to me,’ Kelly said on Today.
Two days earlier, over 60 women including Andrea Mitchell, Rachel Maddow, Mika Brzezinski and Maria Shriver signed a letter defending Brokaw.
‘Tom has treated each of us with fairness and respect. He has given each of us opportunities for advancement and championed our successes throughout our careers,’ read the letter signed by those women.
‘As we have advanced across industries – news, publishing, law, business and government – Tom has been a valued source of counsel and support. We know him to be a man of tremendous decency and integrity.’
None of these women have responded to Reinholz’s allegation.