Julie Chen, the wife of CBS CEO Les Moonves, briefly addressed accusations of sexual misconduct against her husband on her CBS talk show Monday – saying that she is still standing by him.
Six women said Moonves sexually harassed them between the 1980s and late 2000s, according to a report in the New Yorker by Ronan Farrow, who earned a Pulitzer Prize last year for his reporting on allegations against the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. Four women said Moonves touched them inappropriately, and two women, including the actor Illeana Douglas, said he physically intimidated them and threatened their careers.
Chen, host of The Talk, said that her previous statement is her only comment on the matter.
“Some of you may be aware of what’s been going on in my life for the past few days,” she said at the opening of the show. “I issued the one and only statement I will ever make on this topic on Twitter. I will stand by that statement today, tomorrow, forever.”
In a July 27 note posted on Twitter, Chen wrote that she will stand by her husband.
“I have known my husband, Leslie Moonves, since the mid-90s, and I have been married to him for almost 14 years. Leslie is a good man and loving father, devoted husband and inspiring corporate leader. He has always been a kind, decent and moral human being. I fully support my husband and stand behind him and his statement,” Chen’s statement said.
Moonves acknowledged making mistakes in the past, but said he never misused his position in a statement given to the New Yorker, and later to TIME.
“Throughout my time at CBS, we have promoted a culture of respect and opportunity for all employees, and have consistently found success elevating women to top executive positions across our Company,” Moonves said. “I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely. But I always understood and respected – and abided by the principle – that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ and I have never misused my position to harm or hinder anyone’s career.”
CBS said on Friday that it will investigate the misconduct allegations ahead of the New Yorker report being published. The network said there have not been any misconduct claims or settlements against Moonves during his time at CBS.