As Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively continue their public legal battle, former film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein shares his own thoughts about The New York Times portion of the lawsuits.
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Baldoni filed a lawsuit against The New York Times earlier this year after the publication covered Lively’s allegations against him. The actor/filmmaker claimed that The New York Times conspired with his It Ends With Us co-star’s pubic relations team to advance what he called the “unverified and self-serving narrative.”
He also accused the publication of using “cherry-picked and altered communication stripped of necessary context.”
Inserting himself in the situation, Weinstein said he agreed with Baldoni and blasted The New York Times for cherry-picking details about his legal battle as well.
“Watching Justin Baldoni take legal action against The New York Times and its reporters – accusing them of manipulating communications and ignoring evidence that countered Ms. Lively’s claims – hit me hard,” Weinstein shared in a statement.
“It brought everything I experienced with The Times reported on me in 2017,” he continued. They did the same thing; cherry-picked what fit their story and ignored critical context and facts that could have challenged the narrative.”
Weinstein further shared, “I should have stood up and fought back then. I should have had the courage to speak out against the way the truth was twisted. That failure still haunts me.”
The disgraced filmmaker then shared that he will closely watch the legal battle between Weinstein and Lively. “It matters to anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of a media takedown,” he added. “And even more to someone who’s had to pay a high legal price.”
The New York Times Releases Statement About Harvey Weinstein and Justin Baldoni
Meanwhile, in a statement to TMZ, The New York Times spoke out about the “cherry-picking” comments Harvey Weinstein made
“Our comprehensive investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against Mr. Weinstein was rigorously reported over many months,” the statement reads. “And based on on-the-record interviews, legal settlements paid to accusers and other documents.”
The publication then added, “None of the facts in our coverage are in dispute. Mr. Weinstein acknowledged his misconduct in a statement that was published in full in The Times. He’s since been criminally convicted of rape and sexual assault.”
Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence. He was accused and convicted of multiple offenses.
Megan Twohey, one of the bylines of the Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively story, also extensively reported on Harvey Weinstein.