ROBIN ROBERTS, MICHAEL CORN, DIANE SAWYER, CHARLES GIBSON.Photo: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty
The sexual assault allegations against formerGood Morning Americaproducer Michael Corn first came to light during development for a series about a similar scandal at a fictional morning news show, according to a new report fromThe Wall Street Journal.
Carson reported what Crawford told him toGMAanchorGeorge Stephanopoulos, who passed the information along to ABC executives, according toWSJ.
Corn now works as the president of Nexstar Media Group’s cable network NewsNation.
Crawford further claimed that Corn “created and perpetuated a toxic work environment fraught with discrimination against and marginalization of women.”
The lawsuit also alleged that Corn was “sexually abusive” towards former ABC News producer Jill McClain when they both worked onWorld News Tonightin 2010. Though McClain isn’t a plaintiff in the suit, she shared her story “in support” of Crawford after having “suffered grievous psychological harm” as a result of Corn’s alleged actions, the lawsuit stated.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE at the time, Milton Williams, the lawyer representing Crawford and McClain, said, “For both Kirstyn, and Jill, who is supporting her, the healing process has begun.”
George Stephanopoulos.Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ABC via Getty Images
According to the lawsuit, Stephanopoulos, 60, told Crawford that he had heard about the alleged assault in November 2017, urged her to report it to the network and disclosed the incident to a senior director of publicity forGMA. Fearing “retaliation” from Corn, however, Crawford did not file a formal report.
The lawsuit claims that because Stephanopoulos had disclosed the assault, the network should have conducted “a meaningful, thorough investigation” into Corn’s behavior, regardless of whether or not Crawford reported the incident herself.
In an email toThe New York Times, Stephanopoulos confirmed that the account in the lawsuit was accurate.
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Crawford also alleged in the suit that ABC “knew or should have known that Corn had a propensity to sexually harass female colleagues and that he perpetuated a hostile work environment,” claiming that the network knew about the alleged 2015 assault as early as 2017 but did not investigate the matter until she and McClain made complaints in February 2021.
“We will defend against the remaining claims that ABC failed to take appropriate action against Mr. Corn or retaliated against Ms. Crawford,” the spokeswoman added.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
