New York magazine says Olivia Nuzzi on leave after relationship was disclosed

New York journal says that its extremely regarded Washington correspondent, Olivia Nuzzi, is on depart after disclosing that she had a private relationship with a former reporting topic, violating the publication’s requirements.

The e-newsletter Standing, which broke the story, and The New York Occasions each cite unnamed sources in figuring out Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the opposite individual concerned with Nuzzi. New York journal and Nuzzi haven’t confirmed Kennedy’s involvement, and Kennedy stated in an announcement that he had solely met her as soon as.

It’s an explosive improvement for the journal and Nuzzi, whose piece that includes an interview with Donald Trump, “Peering into Donald Trump’s Ear, and Soul,” was featured on its most up-to-date cowl.

In a observe to readers revealed late Thursday, New York stated that if it had been conscious of the connection, Nuzzi wouldn’t have been permitted to cowl the presidential marketing campaign.

New York stated an inside assessment of her work has discovered no inaccuracies or proof of bias, however that Nuzzi is on depart whereas a extra thorough third-party assessment is undertaken.

“We remorse this violation of our readers’ belief,” the journal stated, and a spokeswoman had no additional remark. A spokesperson for Kennedy, who’s married to the actress Cheryl Hines, didn’t instantly return a message from The Related Press.

Nuzzi stated in an announcement to Standing that in early 2024, the character of some communication between herself and a former reporting topic turned private.

“Throughout that point, I didn’t straight report on the topic nor use them as a supply,” she stated. “The connection was by no means bodily however ought to have been disclosed to stop the looks of a battle. I deeply remorse not doing so instantly and apologize to these I’ve disillusioned, particularly my colleagues at New York.”

It was not instantly clear how and when Nuzzi’s bosses on the journal grew to become conscious of the connection.

Nuzzi wrote a narrative about Kennedy’s marketing campaign that was revealed final November, “The Thoughts-Bending Politics of RFK Jr.’s Spoiler Marketing campaign,” the place she described a harrowing automobile trip and transient hike with Kennedy and his canines whereas interviewing him.

His title got here up in a March 2024 piece in The New York Occasions the place Nuzzi, Frank Bruni and Joe Klein mentioned the state of the marketing campaign on the time. “We’re forgetting or purposefully ignoring one thing moderately essential about this election: It’s not a two-man race. It’s a three-man race,” Nuzzi stated, noting that on the time Kennedy was “polling competitively.”

Standing quoted a consultant for Kennedy saying, “Mr. Kennedy solely met Olivia Nuzzi as soon as in her life for an interview she requested, which yielded a success piece.”

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David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Comply with him at http://x.com/dbauder.