Matt Lauer Fired From NBC For 'Inappropriate Sexual Behavior' Complaint

UPDATE: Following NBC's termination of Matt Lauer amid a complaint of inappropriate sexual behavior, the attorney who represented the woman who made the complaint has issued a statement to the New York Times, though he declined to publicly name her.

Ari Wilkenfeld, a civil rights lawyer with the firm Wilkenfeld, Herendeen & Atkinson in Washington, said:

“My client and I met with representatives from NBC’s Human Resources and Legal Departments at 6 p.m. on Monday for an interview that lasted several hours. Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace. While I am encouraged by NBC’s response to date, I am in awe of the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than the company do the right thing.”

The Times met with the woman Monday afternoon, but said she was not yet ready to come forward publicly.

NBC has fired Matt Lauer after a complaint of inappropriate sexual behavior.

At the top of the Today show, anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb delivered the message to viewers live Wednesday morning, revealing that NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack had written in a staff memo that there was a "complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer." Though it was the first made against the journalist and morning host during his 25-year career with NBC, Lack wrote, "we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident."

Lack’s statement also said the company underwent a serious review of the complaint, which represented “a clear violation” of the company’s standards, and Lauer was terminated as a result.

"This is a sad morning at Today and NBC News,” Guthrie said. “As I’m sure you can understand, we are devastated. I’m heartbroken for Matt. He is my dear, dear colleague. And I'm heartbroken for the brave colleague who came forward to tell her story and any other women who have their own stories to tell."

She added: "This reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it's long overdue, and it must result in workplaces where all women—all people—feel safe and respected."

Following the report, several tweets indicated that more information is to come, with Variety New York bureau chief Ramin Setoodeh tweeting that he and a colleague have been working on reporting a story about "serious" harassment allegations against Lauer, and that "there were multiple victims." He also tweeted that NBC was aware of Variety's impending "bombshell story."

Following an October report in The New York Times alleging decades of sexual abuse and misconduct by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, dozens of powerful men have been accused of similar things—both in Hollywood and beyond.

The Lauer fallout follows the firing of CBS News morning anchor Charlie Rose after a November report in The Washington Post detailed years of sexual misconduct, and of political journalist Mark Halperin who, after allegations of workplace sexual harassment during his tenure at ABC News surfaced, was suspended in Octoberby NBC News pending investigation and ultimately terminated.