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Thursday, 12 November 2020

Jeffrey Toobin is fired from the New Yorker weeks after being caught masturbating on a work Zoom call

 Jeffrey Toobin has been fired from the New Yorker weeks after allegedly being caught masturbating on a Zoom call with magazine staff.

Toobin, 60, announced on Twitter Wednesday afternoon he has been given the boot from the magazine after working there for almost three decades.

'I was fired today by @NewYorker after 27 years as a Staff Writer,' he wrote. 

'I will always love the magazine, will miss my colleagues, and will look forward to reading their work.'

A spokesperson for the New Yorker also confirmed they had parted ways with the prominent journalist following a three-week-long investigation into the alleged masturbation incident. 

'As a result of our investigation, Jeffrey Toobin is no longer affiliated with the company,' they told DailyMail.com.  

Toobin is also CNN's chief legal analyst. He was placed on leave from CNN at the time the scandal broke but, as of now, still remains employed by the outlet. 

DailyMail.com has reached out to CNN for comment about Toobin's future with the company.  

Jeffrey Toobin tweeted that he has been fired from the New Yorker three weeks after allegedly being caught masturbating on a Zoom call with magazine staff

Jeffrey Toobin tweeted that he has been fired from the New Yorker three weeks after allegedly being caught masturbating on a Zoom call with magazine staff

The magazine also released a statement to its staff confirming it had parted ways after a three-week investigation over the incident in October

The magazine also released a statement to its staff confirming it had parted ways after a three-week investigation over the incident in October

The New Yorker's parent company, publishing giant Condé Nast, broke the news to staff Wednesday, saying in a company memo that it takes 'workplace matters seriously'.  

'I am writing to share with you that our investigation regarding Jeffrey Toobin is complete, and as a result, he is no longer affiliated with our company,' read the memo from Condé Nast's Chief People Officer Stan Duncan, per The Daily Beast.    

'I want to assure everyone that we take workplace matters seriously. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels respected and upholds our standards of conduct,' the memo added. 

Toobin kept his own Twitter statement brief, failing to apologize or address the reason he was fired.  

He was instantly torn apart by social media users following the announcement. 


'So like. you're just not gonna address why they fired you? just... just gonna let it hang in the air? okay,' one person tweeted.  

Others slammed his actions as workplace misconduct and questioned why the New Yorker hadn't ousted him sooner and why CNN hasn't also followed suit. 

'Nobody should have a job after what you did,' tweeted one person. 

'Hmmmmmm I've never screwed up by masturbating in front of my coworkers. That isn't a normal or acceptable "mistake," it's misconduct,' wrote one person.

Another agreed: 'This was a violation of every companies code of ethics or policies. The typical American worker would have been terminated within 24 hours. The fact CNN has not speaks volumes.'  

'I would imagine most people would have been fired immediately, for doing what you did,' wrote one person.

Another added: 'After that zoom incident I should hope so. My only question is what took so long.'  

Toobin was blasted on social media for his actions which he failed to acknowledge in his statement while many questioned why CNN has not also fired the veteran journalist

Toobin was blasted on social media for his actions which he failed to acknowledge in his statement while many questioned why CNN has not also fired the veteran journalist

Several people also mocked the journalist with innuendoes over the scandal. 

'Thank you for exposing all this. I hope you told those jerks off,' one person wrote. 

Another quipped: 'That sounds like a cockup. Stiff upper lip, old chap.' 

However, some leaped to Toobin's defense, brushing off his termination for allegedly pleasuring himself on camera in front of colleagues as 'cancel culture'. 

'I despise cancel culture. I certainly hope that CNN will not make such a unwise decision. Good luck!' one person wrote.  

Toobin got himself into trouble in mid-October when he exposed himself in a Zoom meeting with colleagues from The New Yorker magazine. 

Thinking he was off-camera, he allegedly pulled out his penis and masturbated not knowing his fellow-writers could see him.  

The Zoom call that caught Toobin was for an 'election simulation' so the magazine could work out many different outcomes of the upcoming vote.

Toobin was playing the role of the courts while colleagues Jane Mayer played establishment Republicans, Evan Osnos was Joe Biden, Jelani Cobb was establishment Democrats, Sue Halpern was progressive Democrats and Dexter Filkins was the military, according to Vice, which first reported the scandal.

The meeting broke off briefly but Toobin's camera kept rolling, two unidentified staffers say. 

He seemed to be on a second Zoom call when the break was over and people started returning to the video meeting room.

They say Toobin lowered his camera and he was seen touching his penis. 

In a brief statement at the time, Toobin said he made 'an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera.'

'I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no-one on the Zoom call could see me,' he said.

'I thought I had muted the Zoom video. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers.'  

Toobin pictured October 20 - the day after it was learned he had been suspended by the New Yorker after being caught masturbating on a Zoom call

Toobin pictured October 20 - the day after it was learned he had been suspended by the New Yorker after being caught masturbating on a Zoom call

Toobin is pictured walking his dog the day after the scandal broke
Toobin is also CNN's chief legal analyst. He was also placed on leave from CNN at the time but is still employed

Toobin (pictured walking his dog the day after the scandal broke) is also CNN's chief legal analyst. He was also placed on leave from CNN at the time but, as of now, still remains employed by the outlet

Jeffrey Toobin walks dog after masturbating on zoom call
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Toobin, a former federal prosecutor, was indefinitely suspended by the New Yorker pending an investigation where he worked since 1993. 

He also asked for a leave of absence from CNN where he has been a regular on-screen presence for nearly two decades.

'Jeff Toobin has asked for some time off while he deals with a personal issue, which we have granted,' a spokesperson for CNN said at the time. 

Speculation grew in the wake of the scandal that he might keep his CNN job despite the embarrassment, with Fox News reporting that colleagues believe he is too valuable to the network to be let go. 

CNN correspondent Brian Stelter faced a backlash after he downplayed his colleague's actions as an 'accident' the day after news of the scandal broke.   

'Jeffrey Toobin has been sidelined at a pivotal moment in the run-up to the presidential election,' Stelter tweeted. 

'The reason: He exposed himself during a Zoom call with New Yorker colleagues in what he says was an accident.' 

Toobin has been plagued by numerous sexual scandals over the years. 

He had a decade-long on-off affair with 13-years-younger fellow lawyer Casey Greenfield while married to his wife of 34 years Amy McIntosh. 

Greenfield got pregnant in 2008 and her lover immediately questioned whether he was the parent, balked at taking a paternity test.

When she refused his money for an abortion, he made a counteroffer to 'swap' pregnancies — if she agreed to terminate her pregnancy he would pay for her to have a child with a sperm donor.

But Greenfield, who was 35 at the time, decided to go ahead and have the baby boy, whom she called Rory. On the day she gave birth she emailed Toobin, inviting him to meet his son. He didn't reply.

Greenfield then sued her lover for child support, according to The New York Times. The case dragged through the courts for two years with Toobin contesting many aspects of his ex's case.

Eventually he took a DNA test that proved he was the father and Greenfield, the daughter of Toobin's former CNN colleague Jeff Greenfield, won full custody of the boy, and given all decision-making rights on his upbringing.

Toobin has been plagued by numerous sexual scandals over the years. Pictured with his wife of 34 years Amy McIntosh in 2017

Toobin has been plagued by numerous sexual scandals over the years. Pictured with his wife of 34 years Amy McIntosh in 2017

Toobin previously had a decade-long on-off affair with fellow lawyer Casey Greenfield who is 13 years younger than Toobin and got pregnant in 2008

Toobin previously had a decade-long on-off affair with fellow lawyer Casey Greenfield who is 13 years younger than Toobin and got pregnant in 2008 

Greenfield refused Toobin's money for an abortion and had a baby boy, whom she named Rory, later suing Toobin for child support

Greenfield refused Toobin's money for an abortion and had a baby boy, whom she named Rory, later suing Toobin for child support 

'Jeff and Casey saw each other off and on over the years,' one source told the New York Daily News at the time.

'She was married to someone else for two years. After her divorce, she started seeing Jeff again. He said he was going to leave his wife for her. But, by then, Casey had begun to distrust him. She suspected he had several other mistresses.'

Another source told the Daily News: 'When Casey wouldn't have an abortion, Jeff told her she was going to regret it, and that she shouldn't expect any help from him.'

Toobin was also described as a sexual predator. A woman the Daily News described as 'a well-known media figure' claimed he had approached her at a party many years earlier. 'He came up behind me and whispered in my ear,' she told the paper.

The Daily News refused to say exactly what he allegedly said, claiming it was unfit for a family newspaper. 'I couldn't believe my ears. It was so disgusting. At the time, I never even knew people did that,' the media figure said.

Though the newspaper did not reveal what he was after, the now-defunct website Gawker had no such qualms. 'He had a bit of what could be deemed an anal fixation,' it reported.

When the woman turned him down, she described how he allegedly followed her to her hotel room. 'He tried to invite himself in. He said, 'You know you want it.' I said, 'No, actually I don't.'

Toobin made an appearance on CNN on Saturday where he is a chief legal analyst for the network. CNN has since said that Toobin had asked for some personal time off, which they have granted

Toobin made an appearance on CNN on Saturday where he is a chief legal analyst for the network. CNN has since said that Toobin had asked for some personal time off, which they have granted

'He really chased me for a while. He called me at the office and left several sick messages,' she said.

Toobin — who was once described as 'the Tiger Woods of legal journalism' — admitted visiting Velvet, a swingers' club in Miami with political fixer Roger Stone in a 2008 New Yorker article. 

'A flat-screen television on the wall plays porn videos, and many clubgoers disappear into locker rooms and emerge wearing towels,' he wrote. 'From there, some of them go into a lounge, a Jacuzzi room, or one of about half a dozen private rooms to have sex—with their dates or with new acquaintances.'

Toobin did not reveal whether he actually hooked up in Velvet. 

He said Stone took him there because it is the place where a prostitute had told him of a date with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, which Stone later revealed, forcing Spitzer from office. 

Toobin admitted visiting Velvet (pictured), a swingers' club in Miami with political fixer Roger Stone in a 2008 New Yorker article

Toobin admitted visiting Velvet (pictured), a swingers' club in Miami with political fixer Roger Stone in a 2008 New Yorker article 

Toobin did not reveal whether he actually hooked up in Velvet. He said Stone took him there because it is the place where a prostitute had told him of a date with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, which Stone later revealed, forcing Spitzer from office

Toobin did not reveal whether he actually hooked up in Velvet. He said Stone took him there because it is the place where a prostitute had told him of a date with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, which Stone later revealed, forcing Spitzer from office

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