December 22, 2017

The NYT decides, "based on individual circumstances," that not firing Glenn Thrush is "an appropriate response."

I'm finally forcing myself to read "Glenn Thrush, Suspended Times Reporter, to Resume Work but Won’t Cover White House" (at the NYT).
The New York Times said on Wednesday that Glenn Thrush, one of the paper’s most prominent political reporters, would remain suspended until late January and then be removed from the team covering the White House after he faced allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior....

[Dean Baquet, the executive editor] said Mr. Thrush was undergoing counseling and substance abuse rehabilitation on his own and that he would receive training “to improve his workplace conduct.”

“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,” Mr. Baquet added. “Each case has to be evaluated based on individual circumstances. We believe this is an appropriate response to Glenn’s situation.”
I agree with that statement at the high level of abstraction where it is made, but it's a high-level-abstraction statement about how decisions should be made at a low level of abstraction, looking at the individual particularities. What confidence do I have that the NYT has any standards at all and that they will be applied fairly and consistently?

I'm looking at the specific factors without seeing analysis of what exactly was key. There was an article (in Vox) containing accusations by 4 women, only one of whom was named. The women said Thrush subjected them to "unwanted kissing and touching."
Three of the women described encounters that occurred when Mr. Thrush was working at Politico. One described an incident that occurred in June. None of the women cited in the article worked at The Times.
So... is it the totality of the circumstances, considering all the factors including the number of alleged incidents, the severity of the alleged actions, when they took place, whether the alleged victims are employees of the same company, how important the accused is to the employer, and the submission to counseling? Is that what the NYT is doing and what the NYT would recommend to other employers dealing with sexual harassment cases?

46 comments:

Fernandinande said...

substance abuse rehabilitation

Did he abuse the substances by subjecting them to unwanted kissing and touching?

gspencer said...

When you don't have standards, like Democrats, situational ethics will always come to the rescue.

tcrosse said...

Roy Moore lost, so we can lighten up on the Virtue Signalling.

Michael K said...

The left will quietly walk back all allegations as not contributing to the Party Line.

BarrySanders20 said...

First, you garner evidence, then you grapple with it. Them's the standards, Althouse.

Garner, grapple.



Patrick said...

Franken's gonna be pissed.

Tank said...

It's the holistic approach.

You can justify whatever you want to do.

Then you say ... holistic.

See, magic.

wwww said...
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n.n said...

Roy Moore lost, so we can lighten up on the Virtue Signalling.

Democrats gambled and won. Perception is reality. Pro-Choice (i.e. selective, opportunistic, congruent) is the standard.

BarrySanders20 said...

With all that garnering and grappling going on in the workplace its no wonder people are caught up having sex.

Rick said...

How is action going to prevent a recurrence? He's accused of belittling/undermining coworkers who refuse his sexual advances. Which beat he's on isn't relevant.

This is all PR. They're putting him where politically oriented people are less likely to note his byline triggering criticism of the NYT.

Rick said...

Scenario was everyone drinks. Some people get drunk. Glenn and a woman stay late. More drinking. Attempts at kissing. Glenn backs off when she makes it clear she's not interested.

The accusation was they he retaliated against those who refused him by undermining them with coworkers.

rhhardin said...

Standards are no help if it's idiotic to begin with.

Work it out between the people involved.

It's nothing for the public to engross itself in.

LYNNDH said...

So what he did was only so-so bad? If he had been a student on almost any college campus he would face an inquisition wherein he would not be able to defend himself. Then, out on his ear. Will the Times use their new "standards" when reporting campus rape numbers?

rhhardin said...

Notice to co-workers. It's called a reputation. Reputations are not always true.

Jersey Fled said...

Dems are going to have to let this whole thing drop because they are taking too many casualties. Struggling with how to do that while retaining the option of trashing the next Republican who gets caught.

BarrySanders20 said...

What Rick said. The women believe Thrush harmed their careers by rejecting his advances. Did he? Who knows. But that's the problem he created.

Hard to believe he suddenly stopped his power play when he assumed his Times position. That gave him even greater status to abuse. But they did that comprehensive review and he survived, so that's that. It's a private organization and the Times can do what is in their best interests.

traditionalguy said...

Do I smell Jury Nullification alive and well in Liberal Land that just figured
out they were self immolating to set up Trump impeachment , and the honey badger Trump, he don't care. He just keep conquering his opponents.

Apparently Putin has given Trump permission to destroy the Dems and make America great.

traditionalguy said...
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traditionalguy said...
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AlbertAnonymous said...

Did he get a stern talking to? A harshly worded letter?

Drago said...

LYNNDH: "So what he did was only so-so bad?"

Thrush is a lefty in good standing, therefore by definition it wasnt "harassment harassment".

Inga can explain it to you.

Bay Area Guy said...

The women said Thrush subjected them to "unwanted kissing and touching."

That's all?!

Sounds like my last 3 Office Christmas parties.......

Just kidding, Jeez! The ladies at my office are a fierce, highly unified gaggle, way off the charts on the hot/crazy matrix. They are the ones who get us kicked out of the restaurant!

Fernandinande said...

Woman I'm trouble
Trouble and all worried mind
Well I just can't be satisfied
Just can't keep on crying

Well I feel like snapping
Pistol in your face
Going to let some graveyard
Lord be your resting place

wwww said...
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Bay Area Guy said...

I think all of this sexual angst would be solved if we adopted a "one free grope" rule, but concomitant with a "one free smack" rule by the offending party.

In practice, you might grope a gal, and, surprise, surprise, she liked it! You shoot you score!

And, if she didn't like it, you got smacked in the face, or kneed to the groin, something commensurate with an expression of rejection. And, then each party would gently retreat into separate corners of the bar/restaurant/party/office kitchen, with a reasonably full understanding of the incident, and satisfactory closure thereon.

No need for lingering drama or lawsuits or Gloria Allred news conferences.

It's gotta work better than the current situation.

Matt Sablan said...

Yeah. Franken probably isn't going anywhere either.

Chuck said...

Here's a really interesting comparison, to Glenn Thrush...

Stephen Henderson, the black/progressive Chief Editor of the Detroit Free Press Editorial Page, and a frequent guest on Meet the Press (also the host of a WDET public radio interview program and also the public television show, "American Black Journal") was fired by the Free Press a week ago. But he has not been fired by public radio or tv.

The circumstances are strange. A local minister (rumored to have been upset with Henderson's calls for Rep. John Conyers to retire) did a press conference detailing suspicions about sexual misconduct among media figures in Detroit, including Henderson. The allegations were quickly debunked. The minister was suspended from his own radio show.

But the Free Press and Gannett opened an internal investigation on Henderson anyway. And they found two women (both apparently encouraged by Henderson to cooperate fully in the investigation) who had information. One of them had been in a conversation with Henderson long ago that featured sexual content. The other one said she had twice received sexual advances from Henderson. (Who is himself married with two sons.) Neither witness complained of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination, or any other wrongs. Neither one worked for Henderson. The one who received advances worked in a different department of the newspaper. Both continued work and advancement at the Free Press, and neither one had ever complained before being invited. Neither one wished to make any further complaint. They both had good ongoing relations with Henderson.

But Henderson was fired nonetheless. His other media employers have taken no action against him because they have no untoward information about his work with those outlets.

I personally think he's going to have a major lawsuit.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Non-Consensual sex is rape.

For more information, please visit:

BillClinton-HarveyWeinstein-AnthonyWeiner.com

Yancey Ward said...

Maybe Thrush came out as gay and transgendered, too, instead of just an alcoholic.

Matt Sablan said...

But. Hey. A useful Clinton crony facing no consequences for sexual misconduct isn't anything new.

Matt Sablan said...

If he didn't have Clinton access, I bet he'd be gone.

Anne in Rockwall, TX said...

Dang it Bay Guy. I read that as a "one free snack rule" and was waiting to find out if the rejected got pretzels or brie.

The rest of your post did not mention any foodstuffs.

walter said...

"removed from the team covering the White House "
Bunch O' predators..enablers.

Damon is taking heat for suggesting not all "misconduct" is not equal..will NYT?

wwww said...
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wwww said...

Yeah. Franken probably isn't going anywhere either.


nah he's out official Jan 2nd I think. He gave his last speech yesterday? Anyways they finalized it.

Mike Sylwester said...

Thrush should be granted just as much understanding and grace as Thrush in his own reporting granted to Trump after the Access Hollywood tape was released.

Rick said...

nah he's out official Jan 2nd I think. He gave his last speech yesterday? Anyways they finalized it.

Sooo, right after the tax bill votes.

Pinandpuller said...

If you stick a maxi pad on your arm it cuts down on the cravings.

Gk1 said...

The fact this hack wasn't canned after wikileaks showed his fealty to the democrats he was covering speaks volumes. Not much of a battlefield prep if they continue to employ Franken and Thrush but expect trump to somehow "step down".

Jupiter said...

"What confidence do I have that the NYT has any standards at all and that they will be applied fairly and consistently?"


Not sure I'm following you here. Are you saying that, as a member in good standing of the baying mob, you want some assurances that when you are not served a blood meal, there was an ideologically valid reason? Or what?

rhhardin said...

Non-Consensual sex is rape.

Suppose neither one consents.

glenn said...

I’ll take Alabama election being over for $500, Anne.

William said...

Iirc, he lied about the women iinvolved. He wasn't under oath, and I heard somewhere that everyone lies about sex. Still, he was a reporter and his job is to bear honest witness to the events that he is present at.. If he has a history of telling self serving lies to protect his reputation, aren't there other circumstances where he might again lie to advance a narrative that would serve his interests. Perhaps that's a feature not a bug. Maybe the NYT would like such a reporter on payroll. Perhaps he could report on Carlos Slim's business dealings.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

"Unwanted kissing?" Of an employee? A subordinate?

I mean, I gotta say, that seems like a big deal. Once. Doing that multiple times? That seems bad!

Oh well, he's one of the good ones, he is redeemable. I understand.

Bad Lieutenant said...


rhhardin said...
Non-Consensual sex is rape.

Suppose neither one consents.

12/22/17, 4:53 PM

Suppose you roll a 13 on 2d6.