CNN analyst and New Yorker contributor Jeffrey Toobin apologized after he was caught masturbating on a Zoom “election simulation” in front of prominent journalists and producers.
Said Toobin: “I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers. I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.”
VICE reported: “Two people who were on the call told VICE separately that the call was an election simulation featuring many of the New Yorker's biggest stars: Jane Mayer was playing establishment Republicans; Evan Osnos was Joe Biden, Jelani Cobb was establishment Democrats, Masha Gessen played Donald Trump, Andrew Marantz was the far right, Sue Halpern was left wing democrats, Dexter Filkins was the military, and Jeffrey Toobin playing the courts. There were also a handful of other producers on the call from the New Yorker and WNYC. Both people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely, noted that it was unclear how much each person saw, but both said that they saw Toobin jerking off.”
The New Yorker has suspended Toobin, and he has taken a leave from CNN.
Wrote CNN in a statement: “Jeff Toobin has asked for some time off while he deals with a personal issue, which we have granted.”
