A Vox exclusive published Monday recounts multiple inappropriate encounters between young journalists and reporter Glenn Thrush while he worked at Politico. In response, his current employer, the New York Times, has suspended the famed White House reporter.
“The behavior attributed to Glenn in this Vox story is very concerning and not in keeping with the standards and values of The New York Times,” the Times said in a statement on Monday. “We intend to fully investigate and while we do, Glenn will be suspended.”
Thrush is alleged to have repeatedly overstepped professional boundaries and created uncomfortable situations for young female journalists, often in environments with alcohol. He is currently seeking treatment for alcohol abuse, according to The New York Times, who supports his decision.
Ironically, Thrush spoke out against the type of behavior reported on Vox, in October in a personal Facebook post.
“Young people who come into a newsroom deserve to be taught our trade, given our support and enlisted in our calling — not betrayed by little men who believe they are bigger than the mission,” he said.
His words do not line up with his actions, however. While each story of his indiscretion, including the one told by the writer of the exposé, were unique, they all followed a pattern. There was usually an office gathering at a bar or restaurant and the group dwindled to Thrush and one young female reporter. This is when Thrush would allegedly make his move, whether through direct advances invading boundaries within a restaurant seating booth or by taking a walk and making advances there. All accounts led to the women worrying about their career paths if they changed their relationship with him, and some cases where they had no recourse within the workplace.
Many of the accounts are backed up by fellow early career journalists who would apparently warn each other about Thrush because his behavior was so well known. Many of the accounts include a confrontation with Thrush by fellow journalists who try to talk to him about the behavior, which he attributed to his own alcohol consumption.
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