Tom Brokaw accuser says she expected a denial, but "his vehemence and spitefulness took me aback"

The Washington Post

"He denied the truth and instead attacked my career and my motives," writes Linda Vester, who worked with Brokaw at NBC News before joining Fox News. Vester accused Brokaw of sexual harassment in a Washington Post article two weeks ago, alongside another woman who spoke to the Post anonymously. A third woman, veteran reporter Mary Reinholz, has since come forward accusing Brokaw of unwanted advances 50 years ago. "Shaming and blaming a victim has long been the effective strategy when women speak out. It also served to maintain the silence — discouraging other women away from coming forward," writes Vester. "Brokaw’s letter follows that dated playbook." She adds: "I am not filing a lawsuit; I am not asking NBC or Brokaw for money. I came forward for a simple reason: to let the public know that otherwise good men — men who treat women well or are even their champions — can also commit acts of sexual harassment. I did not feel like confronting Brokaw in private would accomplish my objective of demonstrating to other victims — past, present or future — that it is safe to come forward with their own accounts of harassment in the workplace."