Rachel Evans
In 2018, former NBC correspondent Linda Vester accused veteran journalist Tom Brokaw of sexual misconduct. Vester alleged that Brokaw forcibly kissed her and pressured her to have a sexual relationship with him on multiple occasions in the 1990s. In his defence, Brokaw admitted that Vester had reminded him that she was a Catholic and that she was uncomfortable with his presence. However, he denied any inappropriate behaviour and claimed that Vester's allegations were false and damaging. The case sparked debates about the culture at NBC News and the treatment of female colleagues by male bosses.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the accused | Tom Brokaw |
| Name of the accuser | Linda Vester |
| Allegations | Sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, forcibly trying to kiss her, groping her, showing up uninvited |
| Alleged incidents | 1994, 1995 |
| Accused's response | Denied the allegations, called them a "drive-by shooting" |
| Accuser's response | Felt disappointed by the response of other women at the network |
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What You'll Learn
Tom Brokaw denies allegations
In 2018, Tom Brokaw, an American author and retired network television journalist, was accused of sexual misconduct by two women—Linda Vester and an anonymous source. Vester, a former NBC correspondent, alleged that Brokaw sexually harassed her in the mid-1990s. She claimed that Brokaw forcibly tried to kiss her on two separate occasions, groped her, and showed up at her hotel room and private residence uninvited. Vester also alleged that Brokaw pressured her to have a sexual relationship with him, and that she did not report the incidents at the time out of fear of retaliation and damage to her career.
Brokaw, who was an NBC Nightly News anchor at the time of the alleged incidents, denied all allegations. In a letter to his colleagues, he described the stories as a "drive-by shooting", suggesting that Vester had a grudge against NBC News because her career stalled at the division. Brokaw maintained that the meetings with Vester were "brief, cordial, and appropriate" and that he did not make any romantic overtures towards her. He also stated that it was Vester's suggestion to meet at her London flat in 1995 and that she was "coy, not frightened, filled with office gossip". Brokaw further emphasized that he "emphatically did not verbally and physically attack her and suggest an affair".
In addition to Vester's allegations, a 24-year-old production assistant who worked at NBC during the same period also accused Brokaw of sexual harassment. Brokaw denied these accusations as well. He stated that he fully acknowledged acting inappropriately as a husband and father but wanted to make it clear that any allegations of coercive, aggressive, or abusive actions on his part were absolutely false. Brokaw's denial of the allegations was supported by several former colleagues, including Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, and Maria Shriver, who signed a letter characterizing him as "a man of tremendous decency and integrity".
The accusations against Brokaw sparked discussions about the culture at NBC News. Vester and other women who came forward described a workplace where male bosses routinely objectified female colleagues, and where speaking out about misconduct could result in retaliation and career repercussions. Vester and others called for an independent investigation into NBC's handling of sexual harassment complaints, expressing disappointment in the network's initial response, which did not include hiring outside counsel.
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Linda Vester's allegations against Brokaw
In 2018, former NBC correspondent Linda Vester accused Tom Brokaw of sexual misconduct and harassment. Vester alleged that Brokaw, who was 26 years her senior, forcibly tried to kiss her on two separate occasions in 1994 and 1995. She also claimed that he groped her in an NBC conference room and showed up uninvited at her hotel room. Vester said she did not report Brokaw's conduct at the time because she feared it would hurt her career.
In a letter to colleagues, Brokaw denied the allegations, calling them a "drive-by shooting". He claimed that Vester initiated the meetings and that he did not verbally or physically attack her. Brokaw also stated that Vester was "coy, not frightened" and that she often reminded him that she was a Catholic and uncomfortable with his presence.
Vester's allegations against Brokaw were part of a wave of complaints against powerful men in media and entertainment. They also added to the scrutiny of NBC News, which had recently fired its star anchor, Matt Lauer, for sexual misconduct. Vester and other critics argued that NBC needed to do more to address its culture of sexual harassment and the treatment of female colleagues by male bosses.
The accusations by Vester and other women had a significant impact on her life. She expressed disappointment in the response from some of her former colleagues at NBC, who defended Brokaw. Vester also faced backlash, including threats from Brokaw's lawyer to have actor Robert De Niro speak out against her. Despite this, Vester stood by her allegations and continued to speak out against sexual misconduct.
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Vester's career after NBC
In 1996, a year after the alleged incident with Brokaw, Vester was reassigned back to the United States, reporting from NBC's Chicago bureau. She was promoted to anchor NBC News at Sunrise in 1997 and moved to New York. During this time, she also anchored afternoon news coverage on MSNBC.
In 1999, Vester left NBC and was hired by Fox News Channel to host its afternoon newscasts. She anchored part of the channel's live coverage during 9/11 and hosted an exclusive interview with O.J. Simpson. In 2003, Fox News debuted a news program with a live audience, Dayside with Linda Vester. She continued in this position until July 2005, while pregnant with her second child. Then-CEO Roger Ailes agreed to release her from her contract so that she could be a stay-at-home mom.
In April 2018, Vester accused NBC Anchor Tom Brokaw of two incidents of sexual harassment, which she said occurred while she worked at NBC in the 1990s.
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Vester's reasons for coming forward
Linda Vester, a former NBC correspondent, accused Tom Brokaw, a veteran journalist, of sexual harassment. Vester alleged that Brokaw forcibly tried to kiss her and behaved inappropriately towards her during her tenure at NBC. She claimed that she decided to come forward with the allegations because she believed that NBC News had failed to effectively investigate harassment issues at the company. She also wanted to empower other women and help them avoid similar experiences.
Vester shared that she felt "powerless" during the encounters with Brokaw, fearing that he could ruin her career if she rejected his advances. She stated that she did not report the incidents at the time due to concerns about the potential impact on her career. However, she eventually shared her story with the Washington Post and Variety magazine, alleging that Brokaw had shown up uninvited to her hotel room and apartment, trying to force himself on her.
In addition to her desire to expose the culture at NBC News and empower other women, Vester also wanted to shed light on the failure of NBC to address sexual misconduct within the company. She believed that an external investigation was necessary to fix the problematic culture. Vester's decision to come forward was influenced by the firing of "Today" co-host Matt Lauer for inappropriate conduct, which prompted NBC to launch an internal review. However, Vester felt that an external investigation was warranted to ensure a thorough and impartial process.
Vester also expressed disappointment in the response from some of her female colleagues at NBC, who defended Brokaw and signed a letter disputing her allegations. She called out specific individuals, including Rachel Maddow, Savannah Guthrie, and Mika Brzezinski, for not using their influence to advocate for meaningful change and improve the safety of women in the workplace.
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Brokaw's response to the allegations
In response to the allegations made by Linda Vester, Tom Brokaw has consistently denied any wrongdoing. In a letter to his colleagues, Brokaw described Vester's allegations as a "drive-by shooting", claiming that she had a grudge against NBC News because her career had stalled at the division. He also accused Vester of having “trouble with the truth” and denied that he had ever made any romantic overtures towards her.
Brokaw admitted that he had met with Vester on two occasions, but claimed that these meetings were at her request and were brief, cordial, and appropriate. He stated that Vester had sought him out for informal meetings, including the one she described in her New York hotel room. Brokaw maintained that he did not verbally or physically attack Vester and that he did not suggest an affair. He claimed that Vester was "coy, not frightened" and often reminded him that she was a Catholic and uncomfortable with his presence, which was why he left.
Brokaw also denied the allegations in a shorter statement, saying, "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 further claimed that he had gotten Vester her job at Fox by making a personal call to chief Roger Ailes.
In addition to denying Vester's allegations, Brokaw also expressed resentment towards her and the news outlets that published her claims, saying that he deeply resented the pain and anger she had inflicted on his family. He also stated that he was proud of who he was as a husband, father, grandfather, journalist, and citizen, and that Vester's claims could not diminish that.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, in a letter to colleagues, Tom Brokaw admitted that Linda Vester reminded him that she was a Catholic and that she was uncomfortable with his presence.
Linda Vester, a former NBC correspondent, accused Tom Brokaw of sexual harassment and trying to forcibly kiss her on two separate occasions in 1994 and 1995. She also alleged that he groped her in an NBC conference room.
Tom Brokaw vehemently denied the allegations, stating that he met with Linda Vester on two occasions at her request to offer career advice and that he did not make any romantic overtures. He accused her of conducting a "drive-by shooting" out of a grudge against NBC News.
