'The New Republic' publisher takes leave of absence amid sexual harassment allegations
Hamilton Fish V, the publisher of the left-leaning outlet The New Republic, has taken a leave of absence as the company investigates sexual harassment allegations against him, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
Win McCormack, the liberal activist who bought the publication in 2016, sent out a memo to staffers on Sunday which said that he had asked for an immediate and independent investigation into several complaints regarding interactions between Fish and female employees.
The New Republic "is committed to creating and maintaining a respectful, professional work environment, free from harassment of any kind," the memo continued. McCormack added that he took the allegations "very seriously" and that J.J. Gould and Art Stupar would step in as acting president and acting publisher, respectively.
News of Fish's leave of absence occurred after his name appeared on the so-called "Sh---- Media Men" list that began circulating after dozens of women came forward to accuse Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of varying degrees of sexual misconduct.
The list contains numerous unproven, uncorroborated allegations against men from different media outlets. In addition to The New Republic, Business Insider reported earlier this month that BuzzFeed also launched an investigation into anonymous allegations made against some of its employees on the "Sh---- Media Men" list.
In an internal memo sent to BuzzFeed employees, Chief People Officer Lenke Taylor said the company looks into "all allegations of harassment and related conduct" and acts on them accordingly.
"We are a company that deeply values equality, diversity, and individuality," Taylor wrote in the memo obtained by Business Insider. "We know that we thrive individually and collectively when everyone at BuzzFeed feels safe and respected. We do not tolerate harassment of any kind."