A lawyer for the woman who has accused Matt Lauer of sexual misconduct, released a statement Wednesday, saying that he was happy about NBC’s response to his client’s allegations against the longtime “Today” host.
“My client and I met with representatives from NBC’s Human Resources and Legal Departments at 6 p.m. on Monday for an interview that lasted several hours,” Ari Wilkenfeld, of the firm Wilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinson told TheWrap. “Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace.”
Wilkenfeld is representing the Lauer’s accuser, who has not been named.
“While I am encouraged by NBC’s response to date, I am in awe of the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than the company do the right thing,” he continued.
The announcement of Lauer’s firing was made Wednesday at the top of the “Today” show, which he joined full-time in 1994 as news anchor and then as co-host three years later. “I am heartbroken,” said Savannah Guthrie, who has served as co-anchor for the last five years.”
In a memo to employees, NBC News chairman Andy Lack said that he had received a “detailed complaint” from a staffer on Monday night.
“It represented, after serious review a clear violation of our company’s standards,” Lack wrote. “While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over 20 years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”