Tom Brokaw denies harassing former colleague
Longtime NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw said he "made no romantic overtures" toward a former colleague who told at least two other media outlets he acted inappropriately toward her in the 1990s.
Linda Vester, 52, told The Washington Post and Variety that Brokaw approached her at the NBC News bureau in Denver in 1993 and inside her hotel room in New York in 1994, touched her without her permission and sent her suggestive computer messages. She provided journals to Variety that she says backed up her account.
Brokaw has denied the details of her account, fighting back against the allegations in an email to NBC News colleagues on Friday.
"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. She has unleashed a torrent of unsubstantiated criticism and attacks on me," he wrote in part. "I am proud of who I am as a husband, father, grandfather, journalist and citizen."
The email was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter and published in full.
Brokaw also addressed Vester's claims in a statement released through NBC News.
"I met with Linda Vester on two occasions, both at her request, 23 years ago because she wanted advice with respect to her career at NBC," he said. "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."
Brokaw's email said, "I should not have gone, but I emphatically did not verbally and physically attack her," according to a portion read on NBC's "Today" show on Saturday.
The Post reported that another woman, unnamed, also accused Brokaw of unwanted touching, which he denies.
NBC reported that 75 current and former employees have signed a petition in support of Brokaw, while NBC News Chairman Andy Lack wrote an email to employees saying they "take these allegations seriously and act quickly and decisively when the facts dictate."
Brokaw is 78 and has been married since 1962.
NBC dealt with sexual misconduct allegations against former "Today" host Matt Lauer last November. The longtime host was fired after a coworker alleged "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace" by Lauer. He apologized to those he hurt, but said many of the accusations were "untrue or mischaracterized."
