HuffPost revealed tonight that former Fox News reporter and producer, Lauren Sivan, has come forward with lurid details about being sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein.
The New York Times published a bombshell report yesterday about Weinstein’s long record of harassing women with eerie parallels to Roger Ailes, including having female employees facilitate liaisons with vulnerable women and hush money paid to victims.
But tonight, HuffPost’s Yashar Ali reported the details of a horrifying encounter Sivan had with Weinstein many years ago. While at a New York City club with a group of people, Weinstein invited Sivan to tour the restaurant. The restaurant was closed and Weinstein dismissed the staffers remaining in the kitchen.
Once they left, Sivan says Weinstein leaned in and tried to kiss her. Sivan rejected that attempt and told him she had a long-term boyfriend. Weinstein then said to Sivan, “Well, can you just stand there and shut up.”
At this point, Weinstein and Sivan were in a vestibule between the kitchen and bathrooms. The only way for Sivan to get away from Weinstein required her to get past him and go through the kitchen. Sivan says she was trapped by Weinstein’s body and was intimidated.
Weinstein then proceeded to expose himself to Sivan and began to masturbate. Sivan said she was deeply shocked by Weinstein’s behavior and was frozen and didn’t know what to do or say. The incident in the vestibule didn’t last long. Sivan says Weinstein ejaculated quickly into a potted plant that was in the vestibule and then proceeded to zip up his pants and they walked back into the kitchen.
Sivan is now an anchor at FOX 11 in Los Angeles.
Watch HuffPost’s video about Weinstein and the allegtions against him below.