Ex-CNN producer details Jeffrey Toobin's past, says masturbation scandal should be taken 'seriously'
Steve Krakauer details previous allegations made against the CNN pundit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former CNN digital producer Steve Krakauer feels allegations that CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin was seen masturbating during a work Zoom call should be taken “seriously” and laid out a timeline of alleged wrongdoings by his former colleague.
Vice broke the story on Monday that Toobin -- who is a staff writer for The New Yorker in addition to his CNN duties -- was allegedly caught masturbating during a Zoom meeting in front of several staffers from the prestigious magazine. He was swiftly suspended by The New Yorker, while CNN has downplayed the incident and said they are granting him some time off.
CNN'S JEFFREY TOOBIN REPORTEDLY MASTURBATING ON ZOOM CALL THAT LED TO NEW YORKER SUSPENSION
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Toobin was mocked across social media, with so many jokes at his expense that “#MeToobin began trending. But Krakauer, who now edits the Fourth Watch media newsletter, explained that Toobin has been accused of disturbing acts in the past, too.
CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin allegedly masturbated during a Zoom call with colleagues.
“Toobin has been granted many chances, and has largely remained above the fray during this #MeToo movement of the past several years. Except Toobin has... quite a past, as detailed here in this blog and in a thread I put together two years ago,” Krakauer wrote, linking to both.
“In 2008, Toobin, who is married, had an affair with another lawyer, Casey Greenfield (who happens to be the daughter of longtime political analyst Jeff Greenfield) and they got pregnant. Toobin tried to get Greenfield to have an abortion, according to the New York Daily News,” Krakauer wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“When Greenfield refused to have an abortion, Toobin refused to have a DNA test until after the son was born, and then refused to pay his full child support until her lawyer forced the issue," Krakauer continued. "Then Toobin's lawyer attacked Greenfield, for the way she ‘publicized’ the matter.”
NEW YORKER'S JANE MAYER ON ZOOM WHERE COLLEAGUE JEFFREY TOOBIN ACCUSED OF MASTURBATING: REPORT
Indeed, the New York tabloid reported in 2010 that Toobin offered his mistress cash in exchange for an abortion and refused a DNA test until lawyers got involved.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“He also allegedly offered to pay for her to have another child later via a sperm donor,” The Daily News reported at the time.
But Krakauer wasn’t finished listing allegations against CNN’s top legal pundit.
“Toobin was accused in 2010 of whispering ‘disgusting’ things to a prominent woman, then following her to her hotel room and trying to invite himself in, before leaving her ‘vile’ and ‘sick’ messages in the days after,” Krakauer wrote. “Want more details on the nature of the literally unprintable comments? Go to the old Gawker for that.”
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Gawker cited a “tipster who asked to remain anonymous” and detailed what the Daily News couldn’t print. Krakauer then cited a 2015 New York Post story in which a woman called Toobin an “emotional rapist.”
“This, the same Jeffrey Toobin who, in recent years, has added moralizing anti-Trump pundit to his previous legal analysis for CNN,” Krakauer wrote. “maybe instead of laughing at or dismissing the Zoom masturbation incident, someone should... take it seriously?”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.