Michael Oreskes, a big shot for decades within the left-wing media elite, has been placed on indefinite leave by NPR over allegations of sexual misconduct. This makes him the fifth member of the elite media to face such accusation in a little under a month.
Two women filed separate complaints against Oreskes that allege disturbingly similar behavior — that sometime in the 1990s, while Oreskes worked as the Washington bureau chief at the left-wing New York Times, he abruptly kissed them and stuck his tongue in their mouths. Both say this happened during discussions with the powerful editor about the possibility of working at the Times.
The 63-year-old Oreskes has also served as senior managing editor for the Associated Press. He joined NPR as a senior vice president and editorial director in 2015.
The left-wing Washington Post spoke to both women, who wish to remain anonymous, and one alleges his disturbing behavior went above and beyond the unwanted kiss. There was also a bizarre personal ad and an offer of a “room service” lunch.
[S]he said, he took out a personal ad in the Washington City Paper aimed at her. It read: “Saw you at the Army-Navy Building. Loved hearing your life story and your ideas. Hope you get this message. Let me know.”
She recounted that a week later, he emailed her to ask why she hadn’t responded to his ad. The woman said she was unaware of it and had to search for it. “What was especially creepy about it was that he put it in the wrong place in the paper,” she said in an interview. Instead of appearing in the “Missed Connections” section, the ad was in a section called “Adult Services” that featured thinly disguised offers of prostitution.
Thereafter, she said, Oreskes invited her to have lunch in a room at the Watergate Hotel, catered by room service. She declined the offer
In both cases, Oreskes appears to be using the promise of employment as a means to keep these women on the hook.
Since 1989, Oreskes has been married to reporter Geraldine Baum.
On top of NBC’s Mark Halperin, Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi, and The New Republic’s Hamilton Fish and Leon Wieseltier, Oreskes is now the fifth member of the elite media in a month to be accused of sexual misconduct.
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