Jeffrey Toobin Fired From ‘The New Yorker’ Following Masturbation Scandal
Written by SOURCE on November 12, 2020
Jeffrey Toobin has been fired from The New Yorker after a weeks-long investigation into the “Zoom dick incident.”
“I was fired today by [The New Yorker] after 27 years as a staff writer,” the veteran journalist tweeted Wednesday. “I will always love the magazine, will miss my colleagues, and will look forward to reading their work.”
The publication suspended Toobin last month after he exposed himself during an election simulation with The New Yorker and WNYC radio staffers. Vice was the first to report Toobin’s suspension, citing anonymous sources who claimed Toobin was seen masturbating on Zoom shortly after a session break concluded. He apologized for the “stupid mistake,” and insisted he had no intention of exposing himself to his colleagues.
“I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers,” Toobin told Vice. “I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.”
The New Yorker confirmed Toobin’s termination in an internal memo obtained by the New York Post.
“I am writing to share with you that our investigation regarding Jeffrey Toobin is complete, and as a result, he is no longer affiliated with our company,” Condé Nast Chief People Officer Stan Duncan wrote. “I want to assure everyone that we take workplace matters seriously. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels respected and upholds our standards of conduct.”
In wake of his suspension, Toobin was also placed on leave from CNN, where he serves as a chief legal analyst. The network has yet to confirm whether Toobin will resume his role.
News of Toobin’s firing was, of course, met with tons of jokes. You can read some of the reactions below.
