The Powerful Men in the News Accused of Sexual Misconduct

High-powered Hollywood executives and stars. Celebrity chefs. A doctor working with young Olympic athletes. Journalists and artists. A former U.S. president, a current senator and several congressmen. As waves of women and men come forward to tell their stories, these are among the powerful men that have recently been accused of sexual misconduct.

Thousands of people have shared their stories of harassment and assault in blog posts, statements to journalists and as part of the viral #MeToo social media movement. Many said they didn’t speak up about their experiences sooner because they felt ashamed, afraid it would end their careers or afraid for their safety.

Here are some of the powerful men who have been accused of sexual harassment, abuse or both, listed in alphabetical order.

Scott Baio, actor
Nicole Eggert, who starred alongside Scott Baio in the 80s sitcom "Charles in Charge," accused the actor on social media of sexual abuse.

Eggert claimed that Baio molested her when she was 14 and he was 25. She also said they had consensual sexual intercourse when she was 17. The age of consent in California is 18, and Baio is 11 years older than Eggert.

Baio denied the actress' claims, saying it would have been "absolutely impossible" to molest Eggert on the crowded "Charles" set. He added that the sexual encounter happened when she was of legal age and echoed her description of the encounter as consensual.

However, Eggert said she is exploring legal options and considering filing a police report.

Mario Batali, celebrity chef, talk-show host
The New York chef has taken leave from his businesses and the talk show he co-hosts following allegations of sexual harassment.

At least four women, three of whom worked for Batali, accused the award-winning restaurateur of inappropriate touching, allegations first reported by food news website Eater. One woman, who remained anonymous, said Batali groped her breasts after she had spilled wine on her shirt. 

Batali apologized in a statement, saying, "much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted." He said he would take a leave of absence from his businesses.

Batali oversees several restaurants across the country and is a partner in the popular Eataly food hall and grocer, which has since cut ties with him. He also hosted "Molto Mario" on the Food Network from 1996 to 2004 and joined ABC's "The Chew" as a co-host in 2011.

ABC said in a statement that it asked Batali to step away from "The Chew" while it reviewed the allegations, and the Food Network said a relaunch of "Molto Mario" has been put on hold. ABC later canceled "The Chew" after seven seasons.

The NYPD said it was investigating claims against Batali following a "60 Minutes" broadcast in which an unnamed woman accused Batali of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 2005. Batali denied "any allegations of sexual assault."

John Besh, celebrity chef
The New Orleans celebrity chef stepped down from the restaurant group bearing his name after 25 women, current and former employees, alleged sexual harassment by male co-workers and bosses, The Times-Picayune reported.

One of the nine women who agreed to be named, Madie Robison, said she endured uninvited touching from male coworkers at Besh Restaurant Group, as well as frequent requests by her boss, Besh, to discuss his sex life.

American Public Television has pulled both "Chef John Besh's New Orleans" and "Chef John Besh's Family Table" in light of the allegations against Besh and his company, the network said in a statement to NBC.

"As of today, we have withdrawn distribution of these two series," spokesman Jamie Haines wrote.

In a written statement to NBC, Besh apologized to employees "who found my behavior as unacceptable as I do."

George H.W. Bush, former president
In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, actress Heather Lind recounted the story of when she met former president George H.W. Bush four years ago to promote one of her TV shows.

"He touched me from behind from his wheelchair with his wife Barbara Bush by his side," Lind wrote. "He told me a dirty joke. And then, all the while being photographed, touched me again."

The former president apologized.

"President Bush would never — under any circumstance — intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind," Jim McGrath, a Bush spokesman, said in a statement.

Since that initial allegation, five more women have come forward alleging similar grabbing incidents that occurred during photo ops. Two more women did so anonymously to CNN.  

McGrath has apologized repeatedly on the former president's behalf "to anyone he has offended." 

"George Bush simply does not have it in his heart to knowingly cause anyone distress, and he again apologizes to anyone he offended during a photo op," McGrath said, adding that because he's used a wheelchair for the past five years "his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures." 

He declined to comment after CNN reported on an eighth accuser who alleged that Bush grabbed her buttocks during a photo op while she was attending a fundraiser for his presidential re-election campaign in Dearborn, Michigan, in April 1992. 

John Conyers, U.S. Congressman
Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the longest-serving member of Congress, resigned on Dec. 5, following allegations that the 88-year-old civil rights leader groped or sexually harassed women who worked for him. 

Elisa Grubbs accused Conyers of sliding his hands up her skirt and rubbing her thighs while sitting next to him in church. She is the cousin of another accuser, Marion Brown, who settled a $27,000 sexual harassment with Conyers. 

Breaking from a nondisclosure agreement that she said she is under, Brown appeared on NBC's "Today" show to expose what she called "uncomfortable and very unprofessional" behavior by Conyers, who she worked for for 11 years. 

"It was sexual harassment... violating my body, propositioning me, inviting me to hotels... He has touched me in different ways, and it was very uncomfortable and very unprofessional," Brown said. 

Another former staffer said Conyers made unwanted sexual advances that included partially undressing in front of her in a hotel room and inappropriate touching. 

Deanna Maher, 77, who ran a Michigan office for Conyers from 1997 to 2005, told The Associated Press that the first incident occurred in 1997 during a three-day Congressional Black Caucus event in Washington, which she said she "felt honored" to attend. 

Conyers at first announced he would step aside as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee while fiercely denying he ever acted inappropriately. 

Continuing to deny wrongdoing, Conyers announced his retirement while calling into a Detroit talk radio program. "My legacy can't be compromised or diminished in any way by what we're going through now," he said.

This, too, shall pass. My legacy will continue through my children." 

He endorsed his son John Conyers III to succeed him. Conyers III, a 27-year-old Detroit hedge fund manager, was arrested in Los Angeles this year on suspicion of domestic violence, but prosecutors declined to charge him, NBC News reported. 

He told The New York Times that the woman pulled a knife on him during an argument and "she cut herself" as they struggled. 

"I apologize, and I am regretful for any part I played in escalating the altercation," he said. 

The younger Conyers noted that all criminal charges were dismissed, saying "a restraining order was entered as a cooling-off measure."

Bill Cosby, actor
Bill Cosby was convicted in April of drugging and molesting a woman in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era, completing the spectacular late-life downfall of a comedian who broke racial barriers in Hollywood on his way to TV superstardom as America's Dad.

Cosby, 80, could end up spending his final years in prison after a jury concluded he sexually violated Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. He claimed the encounter was consensual.

The judge decided Cosby can remain free on bail while he awaits sentencing. The verdict came after a two-week retrial in which prosecutors put five other women on the stand who testified that Cosby, married for 54 years, drugged and violated them, too. One of those women asked him through her tears, "You remember, don't you, Mr. Cosby?"

The panel of seven men and five women reached a verdict after deliberating 14 hours over two days, vindicating prosecutors' decision to retry Cosby after his first trial ended with a hung jury less than a year ago.

Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison on each of the three counts of aggravated indecent assault. He is likely to get less than that under state sentencing guidelines, but given his age, even a modest term could mean he will die behind bars.

Dozens more women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, which he has denied, in some cases filing defamation suits. 

The organization that bestows the Academy Awards has expelled Bill Cosby from its membership and several universities have revoked honorary degrees. 

Louis C.K., comedian, actor, producer
In interviews with The New York Times, five women accused the Emmy-winning actor, comedian and producer of sexual misconduct. Two women, both comedians, said C.K. took his clothes off and masturbated in front of them when they came to his hotel room for a drink after they performed with him at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Colorado in 2002. 

Comedian Abby Schachner alleged that she could hear C.K. masturbating while they spoke on the phone in 2003. She had called him to invite him to one of her shows. Another comedian, Rebecca Corry, said that C.K. asked her if he could masturbate in front of her in 2005. She said no. A fifth woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Times that C.K. repeatedly asked her to watch him masturbate in front of her in the late 1990s when she worked with him on "The Chris Rock Show."

"These stories are true," C.K. said in a statement released Nov. 10, the day after The Times report was published. "I have been remorseful of my actions. And I’ve tried to learn from them. And run from them. Now I’m aware of the extent of the impact of my actions," he said.

FX Networks and FX Productions, which produce several of C.K.’s television shows, cut ties with him following the allegations. C.K.’s former publicist, Lewis Kay, announced on Twitter that he no longer represents C.K. 

Rep. Blake Farenthold, Texas congressman
The Texas Republican announced that he would not seek re-election in 2018 amid sexual harassment allegations.

A former aide said in 2014 she experienced sexually suggestive comments and behavior from Farenthold, who she claimed fired her after she complained. Farenthold denied wrongdoing, and the two settled out of court in 2015.

The $84,000 settlement was reached through the Office of Compliance, which pays from a taxpayer-funded account. Politico first reported the settlement details, and two sources familiar with the case confirmed it to NBC News.

In a video statement posted to his Facebook page, Farenthold admitted he allowed an "unprofessional" work environment.

"I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional. It accommodated destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes, and behavior that was less than professional. I allowed the personal stress of the job to manifest with angry outbursts, and too often a failure to treat people with the respect that they deserve. That was wrong," he said. "For that situation, I am profoundly sorry."

House Speaker Paul Ryan responded to Farenthold’s decision to step down, saying, "I think he's made the right decision that he's going to be leaving Congress and that reflects some of the conversations we've had."

Al Franken, U.S. senator
Senator Al Franken, D-Minn., issued two apologies after a radio news anchor said that he kissed her against her will and later groped her while she was asleep on a USO tour in 2006, before he was a senator. Franken announced his resignation from the Senate floor three weeks later after he lost the support of many of his Democratic colleagues in the wake of new allegations of unwanted touching by seven more women.  

Leeann Tweeden, a former model and TV sports reporter who now anchors a news radio show in Los Angeles, said her two incidents occurred separately on a tour to visit U.S. troops in the Middle East, one during rehearsal for a skit Franken wrote, the other on as she slept on the plane back to the U.S. on Christmas Eve. 

The unwanted kiss took place when they were alone backstage during a rehearsal for a skit. 

"He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss," Tweeden wrote in an article published by KABC radio. "I said 'OK' so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth." 

She said she didn't know about the groping until a photographer gave her a CD that included the photo. 

"I certainly don't remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann," Franken said in a first statement. "As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it." 

In a second statement, Franken said he welcomed a Senate ethics investigation into his behavior. 

"I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed," Franken said. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and several of Franken's Democratic colleagues in the Senate agreed that he should be the subject of an ethics investigation. Top Democrats at first stopped short of saying he should resign. 

Tweeden said "people make mistakes" and that she accepted Franken's apology.

But more allegations followed. 

Lindsay Menz said Franken grabbed her buttocks when taking a photo at the Minnesota State Fair in 2010. Two other anonymous women told HuffPost Franken did the same thing at events in 2007 and the following year. Franken said he did not remember the incidents that way. 

"I feel badly that Ms. Menz came away from our interaction feeling disrespected," he told CNN about the first case. 

Franken told HuffPost, “It’s difficult to respond to anonymous accusers, and I don’t remember those campaign events. It’s difficult to respond to anonymous accusers, and I don’t remember those campaign events.” 

Stephanie Kemplin told CNN that Franken groped her in 2003 during a USO tour when she was deployed in Kuwait. 

"When he put his arm around me, he groped my right breast. He kept his hand all the way over on my breast," Kemplin told CNN. 

A Franken spokesperson responded by saying "he takes thousands of photos and has met tens of thousands of people and he has never intentionally engaged in this kind of conduct." 

Two other anonymous women detailed allegations in Jezebel and Politico. And Tina Dupuy penned an essay in the Atlantic titled "I Believe Franken’s Accusers Because He Groped Me, Too." 

She alleged that Franken put his hand on her waist and squeezed her twice during a photo together at a party celebrating the first inauguration of President Barack Obama. 

"I’d been married for two years at the time," she wrote. "I don’t let my husband touch me like that in public because I believe it diminishes me as a professional woman. Al Franken’s familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted. It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing." 

In announcing he would resign "in the coming weeks," Franken said "all women deserve to be heard" but that some allegations against him were untrue. He also took a shot at President Donald Trump and other Republicans. 

"I of all people am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party," Franken said. 

Rep. Trent Franks, Arizona Congressman
The Arizona Republican resigned from the House of Representatives after the House Ethics Committee said it would open an investigation into possible sexual misconduct.

Franks said in a statement he had discussed surrogacy with two women in his office, which made them uncomfortable. He said he was interested in finding a surrogate mother because his wife struggled with infertility.

The representative said he "would be unable to complete a fair House Ethics investigation before distorted and sensationalized versions of this story would put me, my family, my staff, and my noble colleagues in the House of Representatives through hyperbolized public excoriation."

Morgan Freeman, actor
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman issued an apology to anyone who may have felt "uncomfortable or disrespected" by his behavior after CNN reported that multiple women have accused the A-list actor of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior on movie sets and in other professional settings.

"Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy," the actor, now 80, said in a statement sent to The Associated Press by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. "I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent."

The CNN report includes the account of a production assistant on the 2017 heist film "Going In Style," who detailed an incident in which the actor repeatedly tried to lift up her skirt and asked if she was wearing underwear. She alleged that Freeman subjected her to unwanted touching and comments on a near-daily basis on the film.

Several women alleged that he made frequent comments about their bodies, or would stare at them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable. CNN spoke to 16 people about Freeman; eight said they had experienced harassment or inappropriate behavior, and eight said they had witnessed such conduct. Seven of them described harassment or inappropriate behavior at Revelations Entertainment.

Ken Friedman, restaurateur 
The award-winning New York restaurant owner is accused by several women who worked for him of sexual harassment.

The allegations, first reported by The New York Times, include unwanted sexual advances, kissing and groping. A long-time server at his famed Spotted Pig restaurant told the Times Friedman ran his hands over her buttocks, claiming he was looking for a forbidden phone. Another long-time server said Friedman grabbed her head and pulled it toward his crotch while she knelt at a low shelf.

A former wine director told the Times Friedman kissed her and asked her for a "sexy picture" in a text message.

Friedman apologized in a statement to the Times, calling his behavior "abrasive, rude and frankly wrong." However, he said, "Some incidents were not as described, but context and content are not today's discussion."

Friedman is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his companies.

NBC's request for comment from Friedman's representatives was not immediately returned.

Grandma the Clown (Barry Lubin), Big Apple Circus performer
The 65-year-old professional clown resigned from the famed circus after a former aerialist claimed Barry Lubin asked her to pose for pornographic photos when she was 16 in 2004, the New York Times reported.

The woman said she was initially hired to work with Big Apple's mini-troupe, and then Lubin asked her to model for what he said was his personal photography business. He pressured her to pose for photos in his trailer.

Lubin released a statement through his lawyer and said the allegations "are true." He apologized and said he takes full responsibility.

Paul Haggis, filmmaker
At least four women have accused the Oscar-winning filmmaker of sexual misconduct, with two alleging rape.

The first claim came in a civil lawsuit charging that Haggis, who wrote "Million Dollar Baby" and "Crash," raped a publicist in his Manhattan apartment in 2013. Three additional women came forward after the suit. A second publicist said he forced her to perform oral sex and then raped her in her office when she was working on a television show he was producing in 1996, and another woman said he forcibly kissed her on a street corner and followed her into a taxi before she got away.

The 64-year-old Haggis denied the initial rape allegation in a counter-complaint, saying the accuser and her lawyer had demanded a multimillion-dollar payment to avoid legal action, which he said was extortion.

And when asked about the new accusations, Haggis' attorney told the AP, "He didn't rape anybody."

Mark Halperin, political journalist
Allegations against "Game Change" author Mark Halperin surfaced in a CNN report, which quoted five anonymous women as saying Halperin sexually harassed them when he was a top political journalist at ABC News. 

In a statement to CNN, Halperin apologized for pursuing "relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me." He denied inappropriate touching. 

Halperin left ABC News in 2007 after two decades with the network. ABC News said no complaints were filed during his time there. Four of the women have since left ABC News. 

After leaving ABC News, Halperin became a senior political analyst and frequent contributor for NBC News and MSNBC. 

NBC News fired Halperin on Oct. 30. Publisher Penguin Press canceled a planned book by Halperin and John Heilemann about the 2016 election and HBO pulled the plug on a miniseries that would have been based on the book.

Dustin Hoffman, actor
The 80-year-old has been accused by several women of sexual misconduct that goes back decades.

The allegations first surfaced with actress Anna Graham Hunter alleging in The Hollywood Reporter that Hoffman harassed her on the set of the 1985 TV movie "Death of a Salesman" when she was 17 and he was in his 40s. Hunter claimed that he grabbed her, talked about sex to her and in front of her, asked for a foot massage and made sexual jokes.

After Hunter’s guest column, Hoffman apologized in a statement: "I have the utmost respect for women and feel terrible that anything I might have done could have put her in an uncomfortable situation. I am sorry. It is not reflective of who I am."

And later, while at a recent film discussion, Hoffman maintained that he did nothing wrong.

A second actress came forward about a month after Hunter, calling Hoffman’s behavior "a horrific, demoralizing and abusive experience." Kathryn Rossetter, who co-starred with Hoffman in the 1984 Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman," accused Hoffman in The Hollywood Reporter of groping her, demanding foot rubs and exposing her breasts in front of the crew.

Several other women have since told their own stories. Playwright Cori Thomas told Variety that in 1980, when she was 16 and friends with Hoffman’s daughter, Hoffman exposed himself to her, asked for a foot massage and asked if she wanted to see him naked again.

Variety published other claims of Hoffman forcing his hand down women’s pants, one while recording music for the film "Ishtar" and the other while riding in a car filled with people. And The Hollywood Reporter published more claims as well, alleging behavior that took place in the 70s.

Hoffman did not further respond to the accusations.

Matt Lauer, former 'Today' Show Host
NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer for "inappropriate sexual behavior."

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said the network had received a complaint from a colleague on Monday night, and a review determined it was a clear violation of company standards. While it was the first complaint lodged against Lauer, Lack said in a memo to staff that "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Lack, in his memo, said that "we are deeply saddened by this turn of events. But we will face it together as a news organization — and do it in as transparent a manner as we can."

Lauer, 59, has hosted "Today" for two decades. He said in a statement that he was "truly sorry" for his behavior.

"Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed," he wrote.

Following Lauer's dismissal, one woman told The New York Times that Lauer sexually assaulted her in his office in 2001. And Variety published a report, which has not been confirmed by NBC News, characterizing Lauer as a serial harasser and that complaints from women fell on deaf ears.

James Levine, Metropolitan Opera conductor
At least three men have accused the 74-year-old, one of the most prominent classical music conductors in the world, of sexual abuse when they were teenagers.

The three men revealed alleged abuse that dated back to the 1980s, The New York Times reported.

Levine, who previously served as the opera's music director, denied the accusations in a statement first published by the Times.

"As anyone who truly knows me will attest, I have not lived my life as an oppressor or an aggressor," Levine said.

The New York-based opera suspended Levine after the allegations, and Illinois prosecutors investigated the claims. However, no charges were brought against Levine, officials said, due to the statutory age of consent in Illinois at the time of the alleged behavior, challenges in compiling evidence and other factors.

Levine later sued the Met for breach of contract and defamation. But the Metropolitan Opera said in court documents that it found credible evidence Levine engaged in sexually abusive or harassing conduct with seven people that included inappropriate touching and demands for sex acts over a 25-year period.

Levine's lawyers said the Met's allegations "have no legal or factual basis whatsoever."

Ross Levinsohn, Los Angeles Times CEO and publisher
NPR first reported that Ross Levinsohn was the defendant in two sexual harassment lawsuits and that he engaged in "frat house" behavior in professional settings before joining the Los Angeles Times.

Levinsohn was accused of making sexually suggestive comments about employees while an executive and making vulgar remarks about gay people, NPR reported. 

Tronc, the Times' parent company, launched an independent investigation into Levinsohn, saying in a statement, "Once that review is complete, we will take swift and appropriate action to address any behavior that falls short of our expectations."

The Los Angeles Times Guild also issued a statement, calling for Levinsohn's immediate firing or resignation.

Levinsohn did not respond to request for comment.

Ryan Lizza, former New Yorker reporter

The New Yorker magazine said in a statement that it "severed ties" with political reporter Ryan Lizza after learning of "improper sexual conduct."

Lizza called the magazine's decision a "terrible mistake."

"I am dismayed that the New Yorker has decided to characterize a respectful relationship with a woman I was dating as somehow inappropriate," Lizza said in a statement. "The New Yorker was unable to cite any company policy that was violated."

Lizza's accuser, who has remained anonymous, disputed his characterization of their interactions.

"In no way did Mr. Lizza’s misconduct constitute a 'respectful relationship' as he has now tried to characterize it," the accuser's lawyer said in a statement. "Our client reported Mr. Lizza’s actions to ensure that he would be held accountable and in the hope that by coming forward she would help other potential victims"

Lizza, who had worked as The New Yorker's Washington correspondent since 2011, is well-known for publishing his profanity-laden phone interview with former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.

He was also an on-air contributor for CNN, which said it suspended his appearances after learning of The New Yorker's decision.

The New Yorker was one of the first outlets to publish sexual assault and harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

Danny Masterson, actor

After starring in the Netflix series "The Ranch" since it premiered in April 2016, Danny Masterson left the show following accusations of rape from at least five women.

"As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch," Netflix said in a statement to E! News. "Production will resume in early 2018 without him."

The Los Angeles County District Attorney and Los Angeles Police Department are currently investigating the claims against Masterson, which police said date back to the early 2000s.

Masterson has denied what he called "outrageous" allegations and said he is "obviously very disappointed" by Netflix's decision

"Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit," Masterson said in a statement to NBC News. "I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all."

Roy Moore, former Republican Senate candidate in Alabama
Two women accused the Alabama judge and the former Senate candidate of sexually molesting them in the 1970s when one was 14 and the other 16 and Moore was a deputy district attorney in his 30s. Others have said he pursued romantic relationships with them when they were between the ages of 16 and 18. The first four allegations were reported by The Washington Post.

One woman, Beverly Young Nelson, said Moore told her that "no one will believe you" if she were to tell anyone about the encounter, which she said left her neck bruised. Another woman, Tina Johnson, told AL.com that Moore groped her during a 1991 meeting in his law office.

Residents of Moore’s hometown were long concerned by his behavior toward teenage girls at the local mall, which he was banned from, according to a report in The New Yorker. 

A statement by Moore’s campaign called the allegations "outlandish attacks” by the Democratic Party and The Post, saying that if the claims were true, they would have been made public sooner.

"This garbage is the very definition of fake news and intentional defamation," the statement said. Moore threatened to sue The Washington Post. 

Before Moore lost the Dec. 12 election to Democrat Doug Jones, top Republicans in Washington had said Moore should have stepped down as their party’s candidate for Senate in Alabama, while others maintained their support for him.

Larry Nassar, Olympic doctor
Two-time Olympic medalist McKayla Maroney, 21, alleged that the USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar molested her for years starting when she was in her early teens. Fellow Olympians Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber, as well as more than 100 other girls and women, have also accused Nassar of abuse.

Nassar's attorney initially responded to Moroney's allegations with no comment, citing a gag order over outstanding proceedings. His lawyers had called the early allegations against him "patently false and untrue" and said "his techniques were medically accepted and appropriate."

However, Nassar later pleaded guilty to using his hands to molest women in his office. Maroney, Raisman, Wieber and scores of other women testified against him. Many said he manipulated and lied to them, gained their trust and then assaulted them.

He was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for the abuse. Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told him: "I just signed your death warrant."

Nassar was also sentenced to 60 years on a charge of possessing child pornography, to which he pleaded guilty, as well as up to 125 years on separate accounts of assault.

Bill O’Reilly, former Fox News host
In February, Fox News renewed the contract of host Bill O'Reilly one month after he paid $32 million to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit, The New York Times reported.

The settlement paid to Lis Wiehl, a longtime Fox News legal analyst, who accused him of forcing her into a “nonconsensual relationship," was the latest in a succession of settlements made by O'Reilly. He was fired from Fox News in April.

O'Reilly was dropped by his talent agency, United Talent Agency, Monday night, a source told NBC News. A source familiar with the situation said “we’re parting ways” after his current contract expires at the end of 2017.

A statement from Fox News parent company 21st Century Fox said it knew that O'Reilly had settled the lawsuit with Wiehl, but didn't know the terms.

"His new contract... added protections for the company specifically aimed at harassment," the statement said.

21st Century Fox has said the network it has worked to change the culture at Fox News. The founder of Fox News, Roger Ailes, resigned from the network last year after several women, including Kelly, alleged sexual misconduct. He died in May at the age of 77.

O’Reilly has blamed the media for reports of his alleged sexual misconduct, writing on Twitter Monday that the Times report was an attack for political purposes.

"Once again, The New York Times has maliciously smeared Bill O'Reilly," O'Reilly's attorney said to NBC in a written statement. He pointed out that "in the more than 20 years Bill O'Reilly worked at Fox News, not one complaint was filed against him with the Human Resources Department or Legal Department by a coworker."

But on NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today,” Kelly refuted that claim, saying she had complained about O’Reilly while they were both working at Fox News, and blasted the culture of silencing sexual harassment victims at the network and beyond.

Roy Price, Amazon Studios executive
Roy Price resigned from his position as the head of Amazon’s streaming service after sexual harassment claims, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to NBC News.

Isa Dick Hackett, executive producer of the Amazon show "The Man in the High Castle," said that when she met Price for the first time in 2015, he repeatedly propositioned her as they shared a cab with another Amazon executive to an Amazon staff party, she told The Hollywood Reporter.

Price was initially suspended from Amazon and resigned days later. Hackett said the Weinstein scandal spurred her to share her story.

NBC reached out to Price for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Brett Ratner, filmmaker
Six women — including actress Olivia Munn — accused Brett Ratner of harassment or misconduct in a Los Angeles Times report on Nov. 1, 2017.

Munn said that while visiting the set of Ratner's "After the Sunset" in 2004, he masturbated in front of her in his trailer. Munn described the incident, without naming Ratner, in a 2010 collection of essays.

The LA Times report describes other encounters where Ratner aggressively pursued actresses, sometimes following them into a bathroom.

Representatives for Ratner didn't immediately respond to queries Wednesday. Ratner directed the "Rush Hour" film series, "Red Dragon," ''X-Men: The Last Stand" and "Tower Heist."

Terry Richardson, fashion photographer
For years, Terry Richardson has faced allegations of inappropriate behavior in his work as a fashion photographer, in which he's taken pictures of celebrities like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus.

These accusations are resurfacing after Condé Nast International, which publishes magazines such as Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair, announced that it would no longer work with Richardson, The Telegraph reported.

In 2001, model Liskula Cohen said Richardson asked her to get completely naked during a Vogue photoshoot, while he was also naked, and pretend to perform a sex act on another man, according to Complex. Many other women alleged sexual abuse by Richardson to Jezebel under the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their jobs.

Richardson's agent did not immediately respond to NBC's request for comment on those allegations but Richardson has previously addressed what he called the "rumors" of his behavior.

"I collaborated with consenting adult women who were fully aware of the nature of the work, and as is typical with any project, everyone signed releases," Richardson wrote in a 2014 essay on Huffington Post.

Most recently, designer and model Lindsay Jones accused Richardson of assault during a meeting that took place "in either 2007 or 2008," Huffington Post reported. She said she upon arriving at his apartment studio, Richardson "cornered" her, exposed himself and assaulted her. 

Richardson denied Jones' allegations in a statement to NBC, claiming that Jones initiated repeated contact with him over the years and that the Huffington Post piece was "unfair and highly misleading."

Charlie Rose, broadcast journalist
Television host Charlie Rose has been fired from CBS News and PBS on Nov. 21 after reports of sexual misconduct by eight women who worked for Rose or tried to work for him. The women told The Washington Post of unwanted sexual advances that included lewd phone calls, walking around naked in front of them and groping. One woman said Rose repeatedly described his fantasies of watching her swimming naked in the pool at his home.

CBS announced its termination of Rose’s employment the day after publication of The Post’s report. 

“Despite Charlie’s important journalistic contribution to our news division, there is absolutely nothing more important, in this or any organization, than ensuring a safe, professional workplace — a supportive environment where people feel they can do their best work,” CBS News president David Rhodes said in a statement. “We need to be such a place.”

He added that although no one may be able to correct the past, “what may once have been accepted should not ever have been acceptable.”

Rose was one of the hosts of popular morning news show “CBS This Morning.”

PBS announced that it had terminated its relationship with Rose and canceled distribution of his programs. The network will no longer distribute the nightly talk show "Charlie Rose," which Rose has hosted since 1991.

“PBS expects all the producers we work with to provide a workplace where people feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect,” Jennifer Rankin Byrne, vice president of corporate communications at PBS, told CNBC.

Bloomberg also dropped the show.

Rose tweeted a statement apologizing for his behavior but denying some of the claims. 

“It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior,” he wrote. “I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.”

Chris Savino, former Nickelodeon producer
Chris Savino, creator of the animated series "The Loud House," was fired from Nickelodeon after a dozen women claimed that he made unwanted sexual advances to co-workers, Cartoon Brew reported. He is also accused of threatening to blacklist women from the industry after the end of consensual relationships.

After the report came out, Anne Walker Farrell, a director on Netflix show "Bojack Horseman," released a series of tweets claiming that Savino had harassed her 15 years ago. Farrell wrote that Savino offered her a "'mentorship' that devolved into lewd messages, etc.'"

Savino responded to the allegations on Facebook.

“I am deeply sorry and ashamed,” he wrote. “Although it was never my intention, I now understand that the impact of my actions and communications created an unacceptable environment."

Robert Scoble, tech blogger
At least three women have accused the high-profile tech writer and evangelist of sexual and verbal harassment, starting with a blog post by journalist Quinn Norton, who wrote that he assaulted her at a hacker conference in the early 2010s. Another woman, Michelle Greer, who worked with Scoble in the past, told Buzzfeed that he groped her at a tech conference in 2010.

Sarah Kunst, creator of workout app ProDay, said on Twitter that Scoble acted inappropriately with her.

Scoble resigned from his virtual reality startup, Transformation Group, after the allegations. He apologized in a Facebook post.

"I’m deeply sorry to the people I’ve caused pain to," he wrote. "I know I have behaved in ways that were inappropriate."

But he later wrote on his blog that his accusers "used grains of truth to sell false narrative."

Ryan Seacrest, television and radio personality
A former E! News stylist for Ryan Seacrest accused him of sexual misconduct, including pressing himself against her and groping her. 

Suzie Hardy worked for Seacrest starting in 2007, and she claimed that her employment ended in 2013 a few weeks after taking her allegations to human resources, according to Variety.

Hardy and her lawyer wrote a letter E! in November, and the network conducted an investigation of her allegations. However, E! said in a statement that it found "insufficient evidence to support the claims against Seacrest."

Seacrest has repeatedly denied Hardy's claims, and his lawyer told NBC News that they are "lies." His lawyer said in a statement that Hardy had sought $15 million from Seacrest, though the stylist said that was not true.

Andy Signore, web series creator
After the Harvey Weinstein scandal exploded, at least five women posted on social media that they had experienced sexual harassment by Andy Signore, creator of fan site Screen Junkies and the “Honest Trailers” film-parody franchise.

One woman wrote on Twitter that Signore offered to masturbate in front of her. Another said he tried to sexually assault her several times and threatened to fire her boyfriend, who worked at Screen Junkies, if she told anyone, Variety reported.

After the accusations became public, Screen Junkies said in a statement on Twitter that it had fired Signore. 

"There is no justification for this egregious and intolerable behavior," read the statement.

NBC reached out to Signore for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Russell Simmons, music producer, businessman
Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has been accused by at least 13 women of sexual misconduct, with some alleging rape.

According to The New York Times, a music journalist who Simmons briefly dated said he raped her in 1988. A performer Simmons previously managed said he raped her in the early 90s. And a former executive at Def Jam Records, the music label Simmons co-founded, told the Times he raped her in 1995.

A fourth woman told the Times Simmons groped her in 2014.

Simmons responded to the latest allegations in a statement: "These horrific accusations have shocked me to my core and all of my relations have been consensual."

Before the Times' report, former actress and "Rachel Getting Married" screenwriter Jenny Lumet wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that Simmons forced her into a sexual encounter in the early 90s. And model Keri Claussen Khalighi told The Los Angeles Times that Simmons coerced her to perform oral sex and penetrated her without her consent when she was 17 in 1991.

Simmons, who denied those allegations as well, announced he would step down from his various companies to commit himself to "personal growth, spiritual learning and above all to listening."

Then on Jan. 24, 2018, filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik filed a $5 million lawsuit against Simmons, claiming that he raped her after an aggressive pursuit in his Los Angeles home in 2016. She alleged that she was pushed onto his bed, fell off the bed and then hit her head before the assault.

Simmons denied Jarosik's claims and said "justice will be done and that the full truth will be known" in court.

Tavis Smiley, public television and radio host

PBS announced that it indefinitely suspended the distribution of late-night talk show "Tavis Smiley" after learning of "troubling allegations" against the host.

Smiley allegedly engaged in sexual relationships with multiple subordinates, according to Variety, and some were concerned their employment was based on the relationships. Others said Smiley created a verbally abusive and threatening work environment, and several said they feared retaliation, Variety reported. 

NBC News has not independently verified the accusations, which allegedly took place within Smiley's production company, TS Media, Inc.

Smiley denied the claims, saying he has the "utmost respect for women" and he intends to "fight back."

"I have never groped, inappropriately exposed myself, or coerced any colleague in the workplace, ever, in my 30-year career," Smiley said in a Facebook video. "If having a consensual relationship with a colleague years ago is the stuff that leads to this kind of public humiliation and personal destruction, heaven help us."

Kevin Spacey, actor
Actor Anthony Rapp, in an exclusive interview with Buzzfeed, alleged that the "House of Cards" star made unwanted sexual advances at him when he was 14 years old. The incident happened in 1986 when Spacey was 26, and Rapp, now 46, said he never discussed it with anyone.

On Twitter Spacey said he did not remember the encounter but offered an apology for "what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior."

In the same statement, Spacey also announced he is living as a gay man, an announcement that received backlash from some observers as an attempt at deflection.

Days later, "House of Cards" halted production of season six and ultimately fired Spacey. He lost an award he was supposed to receive by The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Spacey was also replaced by Christopher Plummer on the movie "All the Money in the World." 

Former Boston TV news anchor Heather Unruh, meanwhile, held a news conference where she alleged that Spacey sexually assaulted her 18-year-old son at a Nantucket restaurant in July 2016. Spacey has not commented on the allegation. 

And London's Old Vic Theatre said after an investigation that it received 20 allegations of inappropriate behavior by Spacey, its former artistic director, from 1995 to 2013.

On Jan. 18, British media reported that the Metropolitan Police was investigating a third allegation of sexual assault against Spacey. Though the police did not specify that Spacey was the suspect, it did say the incident in question happened in 2005 in Westminster and that the same man was accused of assaults taking place in 2005 and 2008.

Morgan Spurlock, documentarian, director

"Super-Size Me" creator Morgan Spurlock admitted in a blog post to his past sexual misconduct, saying, "I am part of the problem."

In the post shared by Spurlock's verified Twitter account, he detailed what he called a "one-night stand" with a woman in college who later accused him of rape.

"We began fooling around, she pushed me off, then we laid in the bed and talked and laughed some more, and then began fooling around again," Spurlock wrote. "We took off our clothes. She said she didn’t want to have sex, so we laid together, and talked, and kissed, and laughed, and then we started having sex."

The woman then began to cry, Spurlock said, and he stopped to comfort her.

"I believed she was feeling better," he wrote. "She believed she was raped."

Spurlock added that he later settled a sexual harassment suit with an assistant who he called "hot pants" or "sex pants" in the office. When she quit, Spurlock said, she threatened to tell if he didn't pay her.

The filmmaker also wrote that he was "unfaithful to every wife and girlfriend I have ever had."

A representative for Spurlock did not return a request for comment from NBC News.

Lockhart Steele, former Vox Media editorial director
Vox Media’s editorial director Lockhart Steele, former CEO and founder of Curbed Network, was fired following sexual harassment allegations by a former employee.

“Lockhart Steele was terminated effective immediately,” CEO Jim Bankoff wrote in a memo to staff on Oct. 19, Variety reported. He “admitted engaging in conduct that is inconsistent with our core values and is not tolerated at Vox Media.”

The claim was reportedly made by former employee Eden Rohatensky in a blog post on Medium, according to The Awl. Rohatensky worked at Vox Media as a web developer from June 2014 to August 2015, according to LinkedIn.

NBC reached out to Steele for comment but received no immediate response. Vox Media told NBC they could not comment on the ongoing investigation. (NBC's parent company, NBCUniversal, is an investor in Vox.)

George Takei, actor, LGBT activist
George Takei, who starred in the original “Star Trek” series as Hikaru Sulu, has been accused of groping a former model and actor in 1981, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Scott R. Brunton said he fell asleep at Takei’s home in Los Angeles and awoke to find his pants around his ankles and Takei groping his crotch and trying to take off his underwear. Brunton believes that Takei drugged him, he told NBC News, which is why he fell asleep at Takei’s home after having two drinks.

Takei denied the claims in a series of tweets and on Facebook. 

“The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now,” he wrote. He added that “those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful.”

Jeffrey Tambor, actor
Jeffrey Tambor said after being accused of sexual harassment by "Transparent" co-star Trace Lysette that he can be "volatile and ill-tempered" but that has "never been a predator." 

Amazon is investigating her claims, along with those by Tambor's former assistant Van Barnes. 

A Facebook post by Barnes obtained by The Hollywood Reporter did not directly name Tambor but said that her employer subjected her to "butt pats," pornography played at loud volumes and verbal harassment. 

Barnes' lawyer Alana Chazan told the publication her client signed a nondisclosure agreement while working for Tambor and would not comment but that she "is cooperating with the investigation being conducted by Amazon." 

"I am aware that a former disgruntled assistant of mine has made a private post implying that I had acted in an improper manner toward her," Tambor's representative, Leslie Siebert, told KNBC in a statement. 

Lysette, Tambor's second accuser, said the Emmy-winning star "has made many sexual advances and comments at me, but one time it got physical." 

She detailed one alleged incident with her "back against the wall in the corner." 

"He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me, and began quick, discreet thrusts back and forth against my body," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "I felt his penis on my hip through his thin pajamas and I pushed him off of me. Again, I laughed it off and rolled my eyes. I had a job to do and I had to do it with Jeffrey, the lead of our show." 

Tambor released this statement denying the claims: "For the past four years, I've had the huge privilege--and huge responsibility--of playing Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman, in a show that I know has had an enormous, positive impact on a community that has been too long dismissed and misunderstood. Now I find myself accused of behavior that any civilized person would condemn unreservedly," he began. "I know I haven't always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact. But I have never been a predator -- ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express." 

James Toback, filmmaker
More than 200 women, including actress Julianne Moore, have accused filmmaker James Toback of acting inappropriately with them. At least 38 women claimed to have been sexually harassed by Toback in a report published by The Los Angeles Times. Since then, 193 additional women have contacted the Times to talk about Toback, the reporter said on Twitter.

The women's allegations depict a pattern of behavior, with many of the women saying Toback approached them in New York or Los Angeles, offering them movie roles. He would then allegedly invite the woman to a private meeting, where he would ask her explicit questions about her sexual history and often to remove her clothes, the Times reported.

Many of the women interviewed said Toback dry-humped them or masturbated in front of them.

Toback, 72, has denied all of the allegations. He told the Times that he had never met any of the women, or if he had it "was for five minutes and (I) have no recollection."

Donald Trump, president of the United States and former businessman
Four women who had previously accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct before he became president recently came forward again, calling on Congress to investigate the allegations against him. 

"Things were flying all over the place" accuser Jessica Leeds said in a press conference with the three other women, referring to the stories about Harvey Weinstein. "And it became apparent that in some areas the accusations of sexual aggression were being taken seriously and people were being held accountable, except for our president, and he was not being held accountable.”

At least 16 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct, and the allegations range from harassment to forcible groping and kissing over several decades. Leeds claims that more than thirty years ago, while sitting next to Trump on a plane, he grabbed her breasts and tried to put his hand up her skirt.

Rachel Crooks, who joined Leeds in the press conference, accused Trump of forcibly kissing her in Trump Tower in 2005 while working for a third-party company in the building. She said Trump should be held to the same standard as other government officials that lawmakers have been willing to investigate, such as Sen. Al Franken. The Michigan Democrat resigned from his position after multiple allegations of sexual harassment.

"I ask that Congress put aside their party affiliations and investigate Mr. Trump’s history of sexual misconduct," Crooks said.

Even with the leak of the infamous Access Hollywood tape in which Trump can be heard talking of grabbing and kissing women without waiting, words he later characterized as "locker room talk," Trump has denied the allegations against him. And the White House said in a statement to NBC News that the claims are "false" and that "the American people voiced their judgment by delivering a decisive victory" to Trump in the election.

Harvey Weinstein, Hollywood producer
Harvey Weinstein surrendered and was arrested on rape and other sex abuse and misconduct charges in May 2018 after more than 80 women came forward since Oct. 5 to accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of decades of sexual harassment and assault.

Actresses Asia Argento, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Mira Sorvino are among those who made their stories public in exposes published by The New York Times and The New Yorker. The women described years of Weinstein's unwanted sexual advances in detail, alleging acts that in some cases included groping or rape.

"We got you, Harvey Weinstein, we got you," actress Rose McGowan, who accused Weinstein of raping her, tweeted upon his arrest.

After the allegations were published, the movie mogul was fired from The Weinstein Company, which he co-founded, and removed from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The New York State Attorney General announced a civil rights investigation into The Weinstein Company to ascertain whether any civil rights and anti-discrimination laws were broken and police investigations were opened in Los Angeles, New York and London.

“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein," Weinstein's spokesperson said in a statement.

Weinstein's wife, fashion designer Georgina Chapman, announced she was leaving him on Oct. 10. 

After his arrest, attorney Benjamin Brafman further denied the claims against Weinstein and said his client intends to plead not guilty.

Weinstein also responded to the allegations by actress Lupita Nyong’o, which included claims that Weinstein wanted to take off his pants while she gave him a massage. He also said at a later meeting, "If I wanted to be an actress, then I had to be willing to" go up to a hotel room with him, hinting at a proposition of sex, she recalled.

"Weinstein has a different recollection of the events, but believes Lupita is a brilliant actress and a major force for the industry," his spokesperson said in a statement. "Last year, she sent a personal invitation to Mr. Weinstein to see her in her Broadway show 'Eclipsed.'"

Most recently, actress Selma Hayek accused Weinstein in a New York Times op-ed of making sexual advances and comments and using his position to threaten her job and life. She said he threatened to shut down production of "Frida," in which Hayek was starring, unless she agreed to film a nude sex scene with another woman. 

A representative for Weinstein responded in a statement to Hayek's accusations, denying that the producer pressured her to perform the sex scene and claimed he was not present during the filming. 

"All of the sexual allegations as portrayed by Salma are not accurate and others who witnessed the events have a different account of what transpired," the statement said.

Ed Westwick, actor
The English actor, known for playing the character Chuck Bass in the teen series “Gossip Girl,” has been accused of rape by two women and of sexual assault by a third woman.

Actress Kristina Cohen alleged in a Nov. 6 Facebook post that Westwick raped her in his home in 2014 after she had laid down for a nap in his guest bedroom.

Westwick denied the claim on Twitter, saying, “I do not know this woman. I have never forced myself in any manner, on any woman. I certainly have never committed rape.” 

Two days after the first allegation, another woman, former actress Aurelie Wynn, came forward claiming Westwick raped her at his home in 2014 after she went to sleep in one of the bedrooms. She said she awoke to him on top of her. 

Westwick also denied the second allegation on Twitter, calling the two claims “provably untrue.” 

A third woman claimed that Westwick assaulted her at a Hollywood hotel in 2014. The actor repeatedly tried to kiss her throughout the night and “aggressively groped” her, Rachel Eck, an executive assistant at the time, told Buzzfeed in a Nov. 14 report. Westwick has not yet commented on the third allegation.

Los Angeles police are investigating Westwick after Cohen filed a police report, spokesman Michael Lopez told The Associated Press.  

After the first two allegations, the BBC pulled the mystery thriller “Ordeal by Innocence,” which Westwick appears in, from its television schedule “until these matters are resolved,” the network said. Filming has also been halted on the second season of BBC comedy “White Gold,” which Westwick stars in. 

NBC has reached out to Westwick for further comment and has not heard back.

Leon Wieseltier, magazine editor
A number of women who worked with prominent literary editor Leon Wieseltier at The New Republic magazine have accused him of sexual harassment, The New York Times reported. Wieseltier worked at the magazine for more than three decades and was set to head a new magazine to launch next week.

After learning of the allegations, the organization that was backing the new magazine pulled out of the project.

"Upon receiving information related to past inappropriate workplace conduct, Emerson Collective ended its business relationship with Leon Wieseltier, including a journal planned for publication under his editorial direction," the Emerson Collective told The New York Times. 

Wieseltier apologized in an email to the Times.

"For my offenses against some of my colleagues in the past I offer a shaken apology and ask for their forgiveness," he wrote. "The women with whom I worked are smart and good people. I am ashamed to know that I made any of them feel demeaned and disrespected. I assure them I will not waste this reckoning."