LOS ANGELES — NBC News said it terminated the contract of contributor and political journalist Mark Halperin, the latest media outlet to cut ties with the prominent reporter in the wake of revelations he harassed and abused women during an earlier tenure at ABC News.
Halperin has been a regular contributor to shows such as MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Halperin on Friday issued an apology on Twitter.
“I am profoundly sorry for the pain and anguish I have caused by my past actions. I apologize sincerely to the women I have mistreated,” he wrote. “The world is now publicly acknowledging what so many women have long known: Men harm women in the workplace. The new awareness is, of course, a positive development. For a long time at ABC News, I was part of the problem. I acknowledge that, and I deeply regret it.”
In the wake of the accusations, HBO canceled plans to make a project based on the next “Game Change” book he was planning with co-author John Heilemann. Penguin Press, which was set to publish their book, about the 2016 campaign, also dropped those plans.
“In light if the recent news regarding Mark Halperin, the Penguin Press has decided to cancel our plans to publish a book he was co-authoring on the 2016 election,” Penguin said in a statement.
CNN reported Wednesday that five women had come forward accusing Halperin of sexual harassment in incidents ranging from propositioning them for sex to kissing to grabbing one’s breasts against her will. CNN did not name the accusers.
After the story was published, journalist Emily Miller tweeted that she “was NOT one of the victims in this story about Mark Halperin. I was ANOTHER junior ABC employee he attacked.” She said that she did not report it at the time “because I thought I was the only one, and I blamed myself, and I was embarrassed and I was scared of him.”
“During this period, I did pursue relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me,” Halperin said in a previous statement. “I now understand from these accounts that my behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain. For that, I am deeply sorry and I apologize. Under the circumstances, I’m going to take a step back from my day-to-day work while I properly deal with this situation.”
Showtime said last week that it “will continue to evaluate all options should we decide to move forward with another season” of “The Circus.” The network noted that “we have not seen nor have there been allegations of any untoward behavior” during Halperin’s tenure on the series.
During his tenure at ABC News, Halperin authored a daily political news roundup called The Note, which became a must read in Washington and among political junkies. He gained fame and notoriety when he teamed with Heilemann for the book “Game Change,” an insider’s take on the 2008 election, and the follow-up “Double Down,” about the 2012 race. HBO adapted “Game Change” into a movie directed by Jay Roach, focusing on John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate.
Halperin and Heilemann teamed up for “The Circus,” a weekly docuseries on the 2016 election, and co-hosted “With All Due Respect,” a daily show that ran on Bloomberg but ended its run last year. A representative for Heilemann said he had no comment.