Charlie Rose Reaches Settlement with Former CBS Employees Over Sexual Harassment Allegations
Charlie Rose has come to an agreement with three former CBS employees who accused him of sexual harassment back in 2018. The accusers, Katherine Brooks Harris, Chelsea Wei, and Sydney McNeal, claimed that Rose had touched them inappropriately, made sexual remarks, and kissed their cheeks without consent.
The allegations led to Rose being fired from his position as a co-host of “CBS This Morning” in November 2017, amidst the #MeToo movement. The Washington Post had reported on harassment claims from eight women, prompting CBS, Bloomberg TV, and PBS to cut ties with him. Rose’s long-running interview show, “Charlie Rose,” was also canceled.
In a public apology, Rose admitted to his inappropriate behavior, acknowledging that he had acted insensitively towards the women. Subsequent investigations by The Post in May 2018 uncovered a total of 27 complaints dating back to the 1980s, with the three plaintiffs being among them.
The legal battle continued for over six years, with a judge dismissing a retaliation claim in 2019 due to lack of evidence, but allowing the sexual discrimination claim to proceed. Rose’s defense team argued that the interactions were merely “low-level office interactions” and that the plaintiffs resorted to the city’s gender discrimination law as they did not meet the criteria for “severe and pervasive” sexual harassment under state or federal law.
After much back and forth, the parties reached a settlement in December 2018, but the case against Rose remained pending in New York Supreme Court. However, a recent joint stipulation led to the dropping of the case, with the judge withdrawing pending motions. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Despite the legal battles, Rose, now 82, has continued to conduct interviews, posting new content on his website and YouTube channel. His former makeup artist, Gina Riggi, also filed a lawsuit against him in September 2019, which is still ongoing.
The resolution of the case brings closure to a chapter of controversy for Charlie Rose, allowing him to move forward with his career while continuing to address the repercussions of his past actions.
