While we await the inevitable cascade of additional accusations against Al Franken (because character is destiny, and Franken’s essential jerkiness is well-established by this point), we note today’s newest suspect: New York Times political reporter Glenn Thrush. Here’s part of a first hand account from Laura McGann at Vox:
Thrush and the young woman met at her colleague’s going-away party at a bar near the Politico newsroom, she told me, and shared a few rounds of drinks in a booth. The night, she said, ended on a Washington street corner, where Thrush left her in tears after she resisted his advances. . .
Three young women I interviewed, including the young woman who met Thrush in June, described to me a range of similar experiences, from unwanted groping and kissing to wet kisses out of nowhere to hazy sexual encounters that played out under the influence of alcohol. Each woman described feeling differently about these experiences: scared, violated, ashamed, weirded out. I was — and am — angry.
Details of their stories suggest a pattern. All of the women were in their 20s at the time. They were relatively early in their careers compared to Thrush, who was the kind of seasoned journalist who would be good to know. At an event with alcohol, he made advances. Afterward, they (as I did) thought it best to stay on good terms with Thrush, whatever their feelings. . .
It wasn’t that Thrush was offering young women a quid pro quo deal, such as sex in exchange for mentorship. Thrush, just by his stature, put women in a position of feeling they had to suck up and move on from an uncomfortable encounter. . .
On that night five years ago, I joined Thrush and a handful of other reporters for a few rounds at the Continental, a Politico hangout in Rosslyn, Virginia. At first, nothing seemed strange, until the crowd had dwindled down to Thrush, me, and one other female colleague.
Thrush tossed a $20 bill at her and told her to take a cab and leave us, “the grown-ups,” alone. He slid into my side of the booth, blocking me in. 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.
The Times has placed Thrush on leave pending an investigation. There are reports that Thrush is entering a rehab program for “substance abuse.”
To repeat Glenn Reynolds’s great question: why are all these liberal-run institutions such hotbeds of sexism?
UPDATE: It’s not even noon out here on the Left Coast, but already this story is obsolete/incomplete. Breaking now:
Democratic California assemblyman announces resignation amid sexual harassment allegations
By Mandy Mayfield
The majority whip of the California state assembly cited sexual harassment allegations against him on Monday as he announced his plan to resign at the end of his legislative term and suspend his campaign for re-election.
“I spent my life advocating for the Northeast Valley, fighting for a fair share for our communities and residents,” California state Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra said in a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times. “It is because of my deep commitment to you, residents of the 39th Assembly District, that I have made the decision to resign from the State Assembly, effective September 1, 2018, and immediately resign my leadership position. I am also suspending my campaign and will not run for re-election.”
The announcement came as the Times was preparing to publish a story accusing Bocanegra of sexually harassing six women. The outlet reportedly reached out to the assemblyman’s office regarding the report on Friday afternoon.
Why are liberal-run institutions . . . you know the rest.
UPDATE 2: Tweet Thrush probably regrets right about now:
Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.