Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
CBS Denies Former CEO Les Moonves $120 Million Severance
By admin
Published 6 years ago on
December 18, 2018

Share

NEW YORK — CBS announced Monday that former CEO Les Moonves will not receive his $120 million severance package after the board of directors concluded he violated company policy and was uncooperative with an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.

“This is an important reminder that harassment happens everywhere, and that in this moment, even someone who has been perceived as untouchable will be held accountable. I hope other corporations are learning that lesson.” —  Fatima Goss Graves, a co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund
The decision, which came after a five-month outside investigation, capped the downfall of one of television’s most influential figures, the biggest entertainment powerbroker to see his career derailed amid the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.
A lawyer for Moonves said the board’s conclusion “are without merit” but did not say whether the former CEO would challenge it in arbitration.
Moonves was ousted in September after allegations from women who said he subjected them to mistreatment including forced oral sex, groping and retaliation if they resisted.
“This is an important reminder that harassment happens everywhere, and that in this moment, even someone who has been perceived as untouchable will be held accountable,” said Fatima Goss Graves, a co-founder of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which provides legal assistance to victims of assault, harassment or abuse. “I hope other corporations are learning that lesson.”

The Board Concluded It Had Cause to Terminate Him

New York-based CBS Corp. said at the time of Moonves’ departure that it had set aside $120 million in severance for him but warned that he would not get the money if the board concluded it had cause to terminate him.
“We have determined that there are grounds to terminate for cause, including his willful and material misfeasance, violation of company policies and breach of his employment contract, as well as his willful failure to cooperate fully with the company’s investigation,” the CBS said in a statement.
The board did not provide details. Earlier this month, The New York Times said a draft report from the outside investigation found that Moonves deleted numerous text messages and was “evasive and untruthful at times.”
Andrew Levander, an attorney for Moonves, said his client “vehemently denies any non-consensual sexual relations and cooperated extensively and fully with investigators.”
“Consistent with the pattern of leaks that have permeated this ‘process,’ the press was informed of these baseless conclusions before Mr. Moonves, further damaging his name, reputation, career and legacy,” Levander said.
Moonves had been widely admired for turning around the fortunes of CBS when he took over as entertainment chief in 1995 with hits as “Two and a Half Men” and “Survivor.” He was also one of the highest-paid executives in the nation, making about $70 million in each of the past two years.

Calling on CBS to Publicly Release Details

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents four women who have accused Moonves of misconduct, called on CBS to publicly release the details of the investigators’ findings and compensate those with provable misconduct claims.

“The public has a right to know who at CBS was aware of Mr. Moonves’ alleged misconduct and when they knew of it. Instead of keeping this money and rewarding their corporation for Mr. Moonves’ alleged misconduct, they should share these many millions with those who can prove that they are victims.” — Attorney Gloria Allred
“The public has a right to know who at CBS was aware of Mr. Moonves’ alleged misconduct and when they knew of it,” said Allred, whose clients all spoke to the investigators. “Instead of keeping this money and rewarding their corporation for Mr. Moonves’ alleged misconduct, they should share these many millions with those who can prove that they are victims.”
Three major figures at CBS have lost their jobs over misconduct allegations: Moonves, “60 Minutes” top executive Jeff Fager, and news anchor Charlie Rose.
Last week, CBS acknowledged that it reached a $9.5 million confidential settlement last year with actress Eliza Dushku, who said she was written off the show “Bull” in March 2017 after complaining about on-set sexual comments from its star, Michael Weatherly.
The board said the investigation, which was conducted by two outside law firms, “concluded that harassment and retaliation are not pervasive at CBS.”
Still, the board said investigators “learned of past incidents of improper and unprofessional conduct” and that CBS has not placed a “high institutional priority on preventing harassment and retaliation.”
The 11-member board, which includes six new members who came aboard during a shake-up following Moonves’ ouster, said it has “already begun to take robust steps to improve the working environment for all employees.”

Hiring Outside Legal Firms to Conduct the Investigation

In a move criticized by women’s rights activists, CBS had previously said Moonves would stay on as an adviser for up to two years, providing him with office and security services. The board did not say whether that decision remained in effect.
CBS declined to comment beyond its statement.
Last week, the CBS revealed a list of 18 women’s rights organizations that would receive $20 million donations with funds the company had previously said would be deducted from Moonves’ severance.
The groups, which included Time’s Up, praised the donations but called on CBS to publicly disclose the results of the Moonves investigation. It was unclear if CBS would do so.
Some activists involved in the #MeToo movement have praised CBS for hiring outside legal firms to conduct the investigation, a decision that contrasted with NBC’s handling of sexual misconduct allegations against Matt Lauer, who was fired last year as host of the “Today” show host. NBC’s investigation, which was overseen by the company’s general counsel, concluded that there was no culture of harassment at the news division.
A search for a new CEO is ongoing to replace interim CEO Joe Ianniello. Strauss Zelnick, filling Moonves’ role as board chairman on an interim basis, said at a shareholders’ meeting last week that a recruiting firm has been hired to conduct the search and that a decision will be made in due course.

DON'T MISS

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

DON'T MISS

California Just Blew Its First Deadline for Voter-Approved Healthcare Measure

DON'T MISS

Trump Administration Halts Dozens of Research Grants at Princeton University

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

DON'T MISS

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

DON'T MISS

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

DON'T MISS

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

DON'T MISS

Auto Sales Surged in Anticipation of Trump’s Tariffs

DON'T MISS

Raid Or Rumor? Reports Of Immigrations Sweeps Are Warping Life In CA’s Central Valley

UP NEXT

Gronk-a-Mania Set to Run Wild Over WrestleMania Weekend

UP NEXT

Head of Amazon’s TV and Film Steps Down

UP NEXT

Prosecutor Seeks 18-Month Suspended Sentence for Depardieu if Convicted of Sexual Assault

UP NEXT

Plant-Based Eating in Middle Age Linked to Healthier Senior Years

UP NEXT

Woman Accuses Actor Gérard Depardieu of Sexual Assault on Film Set

UP NEXT

Topgolf Coming to the Central Valley? Chukchansi Gold to Open First Swing Suite

UP NEXT

‘Juntos’ Tour Brings Regional Mexican Superstars to Fresno This Summer

UP NEXT

Jury Finds Greenpeace Liable for Hundreds of Millions in Damages

UP NEXT

Jesse Colin Young, Singer Who Urged Us to ‘Get Together,’ Dies at 83

UP NEXT

Tracy Morgan Says He’s OK, Food Poisoning Caused Incident at Knicks-Heat Game

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

12 hours ago

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

12 hours ago

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

12 hours ago

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

13 hours ago

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

13 hours ago

Auto Sales Surged in Anticipation of Trump’s Tariffs

14 hours ago

Raid Or Rumor? Reports Of Immigrations Sweeps Are Warping Life In CA’s Central Valley

14 hours ago

House Speaker Johnson Fails to Squash a Proxy Voting Effort From New Moms in Congress

14 hours ago

UN Agency Closes Its Remaining Gaza Bakeries as Food Supplies Dwindle Under Israeli Blockade

14 hours ago

Hooters Goes Bust and Files for Bankruptcy Protection

15 hours ago

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

Elon Musk has reclaimed his position as the world’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes’ 39th annual World’s Billio...

9 hours ago

9 hours ago

Elon Musk Reclaims Top Spot on Forbes’ Billionaires List

11 hours ago

California Just Blew Its First Deadline for Voter-Approved Healthcare Measure

Nassau Hall at Princeton University is in Princeton, N.J., Oct. 8, 2024. (AP File)
11 hours ago

Trump Administration Halts Dozens of Research Grants at Princeton University

After 31 years of service, Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy IV and Pilot Michael Sill is retiring, having logged over 10,000 flight hours.
12 hours ago

Fresno County Sheriff’s Pilot Takes His Last Flight as He Retires After 31 Years of Service

Khalid Ahmad holds a poster of his 17-year-old son, Waleed, who died in an Israeli prison, that reads in Arabic, "The hero prisoner Martyr, mercy and eternity for our righteous Martyrs," in the West Bank town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP/Nasser Nasser)
12 hours ago

A Palestinian From the West Bank Is First Detainee Under 18 to Die in Israeli Prison, Officials Say

12 hours ago

How Safe Is It to Walk to School? Fresno County Wants to Find Out

13 hours ago

Baseball Is Back! How to Listen to Your MLB Favorites and the Grizzlies

Vehicles at an Audi showroom in Miami, March 29, 2025. President Donald Trump has said that tariffs would encourage auto companies and their suppliers to move to the U.S. (Saul Martinez/The New York Times)
13 hours ago

Trump Says He’s Settled on a Tariff Plan That Is Set to Take Effect Wednesday

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend