MSNBC's Phil Griffin stepping down as network president after more than dozen years in charge
Griffin has led the liberal network since 2008
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC President Phil Griffin is stepping down from his leadership role at the liberal network, effective early next year.
In an internal memo obtained by Fox News Monday, NBCUniversal News Group Chairman Cesar Conde confirmed reporting from The Wall Street Journal about Griffin's ouster.
"Phil Griffin has shared with me his decision to leave MSNBC early next year," Conde wrote to staff. "After the presidential election, Phil and I spoke about his desire to depart at a time of his choosing and when he felt confident about the strength of the network he loves."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to Conde, MSNBC Senior Vice President Rashida Jones will take over Griffin's role on Feb. 1.
ANDY LACK AT NBC NEWS AS PART OF MAJOR NBCUNIVERSAL SHAKE-UP
Griffin's departure appears to be the latest shakeup from new NBCUniversal Chairman Jeff Shell following the ouster of NBC News chairman Andy Lack earlier this year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Trump suggested Griffin be dismissed back in 2017 after "Today" anchor Matt Lauer was fired amid sexual misconduct allegations.
"So now that Matt Lauer is gone when will the Fake News practitioners at NBC be terminating the contract of Phil Griffin?" Trump asked at the time.
In October 2019, sexual assault survivors and activists from UltraViolet, a leading national women’s organization, organized a protest outside NBC News headquarters in New York City and called for the firing of Griffin and “every other person in leadership that enabled abusers and silenced survivors” at the Peacock Network.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
MSNBC BOSS PHIL GRIFFIN REPORTEDLY SHOWED GRAPHIC MARIA MENOUNOS IMAGE AT MEETING, SPARKING BACKLASH
Griffin joined MSNBC when the network launched in 1996 after beginning his career at NBC News in 1985 as a "Today" producer.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He was appointed as MSNBC's top boss in 2008 by then-NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Zucker, who is now the president of CNN.
Griffin, along with Lack and NBC News President Noah Oppenheim, came under intense scrutiny during the #MeToo movement amid the fallout of the Lauer allegations.
According to reporting by "Catch and Kill" author and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow, the network spiked his reporting on the Harvey Weinstein scandal to keep the claims about Lauer from going public. NBC has vehemently denied Farrow's assertions.
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In "Catch and Kill," Farrow, a former MSNBC journalist, singled out Griffin, writing that the network president was "known for making lewd and crass remarks in work emails," and that there was one instance at a staff meeting when Griffin "waved" a printed-out, zoomed-in image of TV personality Maria Menounos' vagina after a wardrobe malfunction she had while wearing a bikini.
"Would you look at that?" Griffin reportedly said while exhaling hard. "Not bad, not bad."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC did not respond to Fox News' request for comment at the time.