CBS argues that it cannot be held liable for former morning show host Charlie Rose’s alleged sexual misconduct against three women who are suing him.
Katherine Brooks Harris, Yuqing “Chelsea” Wei, and Sydney McNeal had filed a lawsuit in May claiming that Rose subjected them to “blatant and repeated sexual harassment,” by touching them inappropriately and bragging about his sex life, among other offenses. The women also say that when they brought their complaints to an executive producer and a personnel supervisor at CBS, nothing was done.
CBS’ court filing in Manhattan Supreme Court on Friday asserts that the network is not responsible because “none of the three Plaintiffs state any cognizable claims against CBS.” It also says that one of the plaintiffs never worked at the network and one was not working there at the time of the alleged harassment.
CBS asks that the suit be dismissed on these grounds.
Rose has not yet responded to the lawsuit brought by Harris, Wei, and McNeal. His lawyer filed for an extension, as he claims his client needed to recover from a major surgery in July.
CBS fired Rose in November after The Washington Post published an article in which eight women alleged that Rose engaged in sexual harassment. PBS also cancelled his eponymous interview program that Rose hosted and that ran for 26 years, in the wake of the accusations.
A total of over 30 women now accuse Rose of harassment.
CBS recently folded its investigations into Rose’s alleged misconduct into the investigation of that of CBS CEO Les Moonves and the claims of a culture of harassment at the network. Law firms Covington & Burling and Debevoise & Plimpton have been retained by the network to conduct the investigations and will report their findings to CBS’ board.
