Harvey Weinstein is denying accusations of rape brought against him by several women.
“Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Sallie Hofmeister said in a statement to Us Weekly. “Mr. Weinstein has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances. Mr. Weinstein obviously can’t speak to anonymous allegations, but with respect to any women who have made allegations on the record, Mr. Weinstein believes that all of these relationships were consensual. Mr. Weinstein has begun counseling, has listened to the community and is pursuing a better path. Mr. Weinstein is hoping that, if he makes enough progress, he will be given a second chance.”
The statement comes in response to The New Yorker’s expose, published on Tuesday, October 10, that includes several accusations of sexual assault against the former studio head. The investigative piece came just six days after The New York Times detailed nearly 30 years of sexual misconduct allegations against Weinstein.
Following the NYT piece, Weinstein was fired from his own company on Sunday, October 8. “In light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company — Robert Weinstein, Lance Maerov, Richard Koenigsberg and Tarak Ben Ammar— have determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately,” the Weinstein Company board of representatives said in a statement to Us Weekly on Sunday.
Earlier in the week, the Oscar winner took a leave from absence from the company and also revealed that he planned to sue the NYT. “I came of age in the 60’s and 70’s, when all the rules about behavior and workplaces were different. That was the culture then,” Weinstein said in a statement on Thursday, October 5. “I have since learned it’s not an excuse, in the office — or out of it … Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go. That is my commitment.”
In the wake of the scandal, a source tells Us Weekly exclusively that Weinstein has hired attorney Blair Berk – whose client roster has included Britney Spears, Kiefer Sutherland, Heather Locklear, Mel Gibson and Leonardo DiCaprio – as well as the firm of Patricia Glaser.
