The New York Times on Wednesday announced that Glenn Thrush, who four women accused in November of sexual misconduct, will return to work at the company but will no longer serve as part of its team covering the White House.
“While we believe that Glenn has acted offensively, we have decided that he does not deserve to be fired,” Dean Baquet, the paper’s executive editor, said in a statement.
The New York Times reported that Baquet informed Thrush of the decision during a meeting on Wednesday.
The New York Times opened an investigation into the misconduct allegations against Thrush after Vox published a report in November by its editorial director Laura McGann, who was a reporter at TPM a decade ago. McGann accused Thrush of unexpectedly kissing her years earlier when they both worked at Politico. Three other women accused Thrush of misconduct.
Thrush did not deny the allegations against him, and said in November that he had “responded to a succession of personal and health crises by drinking heavily” and had “resumed counseling.”
Baquet on Wednesday said the New York Times has suspended Thrush “for two months and removed him from the White House beat.”
“He will receive training designed to improve his workplace conduct,” Baquet said. “In addition, Glenn is undergoing counseling and substance abuse rehabilitation on his own. We will reinstate him as a reporter on a new beat upon his return.”
Baquet said the New York Times’ investigation into Thrush’s behavior “included dozens of interviews with people both inside and outside the newsroom.”
“We understand that our colleagues and the public at large are grappling with what constitutes sexually offensive behavior in the workplace and what consequences are appropriate,” he said. “Each case has to be evaluated based on individual circumstances. We believe this is an appropriate response to Glenn’s situation.”
