Just a day after Tom Brokaw was accused of sexual harassment by two women, more than 60 women who either have previously worked or currently work for NBC News have signed a letter in defense of his "tremendous decency and integrity." News anchors Andrea Mitchell, Rachel Maddow, and Maria Shriver are among the 60-plus women who have signed this letter. Mika Brzezinski tweeted out to add her to the list.
Former news correspondent Linda Vester accused Brokaw of attempting to force himself on her during the '90s, when she was 28. A production assistant had similar accusations toward Brokaw, which also allegedly happened during the '90s.
Brokaw denies the charges and even took to penning an intense email, which he sent to the New York Times at 4 a.m., where he said he "may have leaned over for a perfunctory good night kiss" and "I should not have gone [to the hotel room] but I emphatically did not verbally and physically attack her and suggest an affair in language right out of pulp fiction." He also wrote that he is "angry, hurt, and unmoored from what I thought would be the final passage of my life and career."
The letter in full reads:
Subject: Letter on Tom Brokaw
As professional women, we fully endorse the conversation around abuse of power in the workplace. In the context of that conversation, we would like to share our perspectives on working with Tom Brokaw.
We are current and former colleagues of Tom’s, who have worked with him over a period spanning four decades. We are producers, correspondents, anchors, directors, executives, researchers, personal assistants, editors and technical staff.
Tom has treated each of us with fairness and respect. He has given each of us opportunities for advancement and championed our successes throughout our careers. As we have advanced across industries — news, publishing, law, business and government — Tom has been a valued source of counsel and support. We know him to be a man of tremendous decency and integrity.
Signed,
Susanna Aaron
Anne Binford Allen
Heather Allan
Marilyn Altman
Liz Bowyer
Mary Casalino
Christine Colvin Casper
Martha Cotton
Karen Curry
Sara Cusimano
Helene Darvick
Linda Ellman
Judy Farinet
Dianne Festa
Tammy Fine
Mary Laurence Flynn
Susan Friedman
Soraya Gage
Maralyn Gelefsky
Cheryl Gould
Erika Beck Grothues
Colleen Halpin
Jody Henenfeld
Susan Morris Holey
Julie Holstein
Julie Huang
Peggy Hubble
Kiko Itasaka
Nancy Jacoby
Kat Keeney
Ann Kolbell
Audrey Beles Kolina
Susan LaSalla
Rachel Maddow
Donna Mastrangelo-Ryan
Andrea Mitchell
Mauri Moore
Frieda Morris
Elena Nachmanoff
Michele Neubert
Kelly O’Donnell
Bonnie Optekman
Mary Alice O’Rourke
Nancy Doyle Palmer
Polly Powell
Meaghan Rady
Elizabeth Vaughan Romaine
Amy Rosenberg
Stephanie Ruhle
Bita Ryan
Ruby Shamir
Maria Shriver
Robin Skolnick
Andrea Smith
Patricia Sullivan
Clare Duffy Swift
Yuka Tachibana
Bambi Tascarella
Zoya Taylor
Dee Dee Thomas
Anne Thompson
Kelly Venardos
Kristen Welker
Carolyn Wheatley
Mary Wolf
