NBC’s Megyn Kelly on Monday cautioned her female colleagues after 60 of them signed a letter of support for embattled network veteran Tom Brokaw, citing her experience in a similar situation at Fox News.
The commentary comes after MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell and primetime host Rachel Maddow were among those who signed a letter vouching for Browkaw’s character as he faces allegations of sexual harassment from two women, including a former NBC reporter.
Kelly said “you don’t know what you don’t know” when it comes to the allegations against the former “Nightly News” anchor, citing her experience with then-Fox News CEO Roger Ailes in 2016 and noting how similar accusations against higher-ups at Fox News were also followed by “character reference” defenses.
{mosads}”It’s basically a character reference,” Kelly said on “Megyn Kelly Today” in reference to the letter. “And they’re saying, ‘For what it’s worth, my experience with him has always be honorable, and he’s always treated me well.’ And I understand that. Because when you love the person being under attack, you want to say, ‘This has been my experience.’
“I will say that the same thing did happen at Fox. And the truth is, you don’t know what you don’t know. And that’s not in any way to impugn Tom, who I love. And who’s been so good to me. Just saying, you don’t know what you don’t know,” she continued.
“What happens behind closed doors — we saw it at Fox News; these women came out. And I remember sitting there thinking ‘you’re wrong, it happened to me, your statements are wrong, and you’re going to be proven wrong.’ ”
“I don’t feel that way here, I really don’t. I love Tom,” Kelly reiterated. “But I think letters like that can be dicey. That’s all I’m going to say.”
The letter of support states that Brokaw had “championed our successes throughout our careers” and has been a “valued source of counsel.”
Brokaw staunchly defended himself in a Friday letter and accused one of his accusers, former NBC News correspondent Linda Vester, of being part of the “Look at Me” movement rather than the “Me Too” movement.
“I was ambushed and then perp walked across the pages of The Washington Post and Variety as an avatar of male misogyny, taken to the guillotine and stripped of any honor and achievement I had earned in more than a half century of journalism and citizenship,” Brokaw wrote.
“What was her goal?” he asked of Vester. “Hard to believe it wasn’t much more Look at Me than Me:Too,” he wrote, referring to the movement against sexual harassment and assault.
“I am angry, hurt and unmoored from what I thought would be the final passage of my life and career, a mix of written and broadcast journalism, philanthropy and participation in environmental and social causes that have always given extra meaning to my life,” he added.
Vester’s attorney said Friday after Brokaw’s email was made public that she stands by her claims.
NBC News Chairman Andy Lack said in a note to employees on Friday that the network takes the sexual misconduct allegations against Brokaw “very seriously,” promising the network will “act on them quickly and decisively when the facts dictate.”
Brokaw began his career at NBC 52 years ago and was the anchor of the “NBC Nightly News” from 1982 to 2004.
His title is currently NBC News anchor emeritus.