A former digital editor-in-chief for the New York Post is suing the newspaper, former top editor Col Allan, and group editor Keith Poole, per TheWrap.
The lawsuit filed by Michelle Gotthelf accuses the two editors of sexual harassment and retaliation after reporting that Allan had propositioned for sex while she was working for him.
Gotthelf alleges that in 2015 Allan sexually propositioned her by saying, “We should sleep together.”
She adds that these remarks came after years of other sex-based harassment and abuse, stating that Allan harassed and degraded women by referring to them as “skanks,” “stupid women,” or “sneaky lesbian.”
“For more than two decades, I took great pride in my work shaping coverage at one of the most widely read news organizations in the country,” Gotthelf said in a statement.
“While I never intended to become the news, the truth of what happened to me deserves to be heard. I will miss my colleagues dearly and hope that by speaking out, there can be positive change for other women at the Post.”
Furthermore, Gotthelf accuses The Post of protecting Allan and his reputation, declaring that he decided to retire instead of being forced to resign due to the accusations.
A spokesperson for The Post and News Corp. stated, “Any suggestion of wrongdoing related to the management changes announced today is meritless.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
