Charlie Rose accused of sexually harassing 27 women: ‘It was a sexual land mine everywhere you stepped’

Disgraced television journalist Charlie Rose has been accused of sexually harassing 27 women over a three-decade span at PBS and CBS.

Describing his alleged misconduct as “widespread,” The Washington Post reported that dozens of women —14 at CBS and 13 elsewhere—have levied sexual harassment claims against Rose, 76. Managers at CBS were warned about Rose’s behavior as early as 1986 and as recently as April 2017, the newspaper wrote.

One of his earliest accusers, Beth Homan-Ross, joined seven other women in suing CBS in 1986 for harboring an environment rampant with sexual harassment. The case was settled confidentially a year later.

Homan-Ross, now 61, worked with Rose in Washington for “Nightwatch.” She claimed that Rose frequently made comments about her body and he would answer the door naked when she would go to his home to deliver items.

On several occasions, Rose allegedly asked her to go into the bathroom while he showered—something she declined to do.

“It was a sexual land mine everywhere you stepped,” Homan-Ross said.

Eight women previously came forward to The Post, accusing the journalist of making inappropriate phone calls, being naked in front of them, or touching their breasts, buttocks or genitals. Following the first round of allegations, Christiane Amanpour took over Rose’s eponymous PBS talk show. Rose was also ousted from his co-anchor role at “CBS This Morning.”

At the time, Rose apologized for his actions but disputed some of the claims.

“It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed,” he said in November.

“I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.”

For their latest story, The Post interviewed 107 current and former CBS News employees in addition to two dozen women who worked with Rose at other networks.

Some women who worked with Rose at “60 Minutes” said they were harassed but didn’t report it to executives because they believed that men’s careers took priority.

Rose responded to the newspaper’s article in a one-sentence statement: “Your story is unfair and inaccurate.” Meanwhile, CBS News told The Post that they received no human resources complaints about Rose but claimed they’ve made changes since his firing so employees could “do their best work.”

“Some of the actions we have taken have been reported publicly, some have not. We offer employees discretion and fairness, and we take swift action when we learn of unacceptable behavior,” the network said.

“That said, we cannot corroborate or confirm many of the situations described. We continue to look for ways to improve our workplace and this period of reflection and action has been important to all of us. We are not done with this process.”

 

[Featured Image: Charlie Rose/Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File]