'Insane': Critics erupt after NY Mag reporter reveals 'personal' relationship with RFK Jr.

20 September 2024

On Thursday, October 19, New York Magazine announced that one of its top reporters, Olivia Nuzzi, was "on leave" from the publication after having "acknowledged to the magazine's editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine's standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures."

The subject, according to the New York Times' Katie Robertson, was former 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who endorsed GOP nominee Donald Trump after dropping out of the race. The Times' Katie Robertson reports that "a person familiar with the matter confirmed that the relationship was with Mr. Kennedy."

In its announcement, New York Magazine said, "Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign. An internal review of her published work has found no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias."

Nuzzi herself has addressed the controversy, telling Status, "During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source. The relationship was never physical but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict. I deeply regret not doing so immediately and apologize to those I've disappointed, especially my colleagues at New York."

This revelation has been drawing a lot of responses on X, formerly Twitter.

Journalist John DiLillo, tweeting some of Nuzzi's reporting, "If you have read her profile of RFK jr this is quite literally the most insane news of all time."

Media Matters' Olivia Little, posting images of Nuzzi and RFK Jr., posted, "Goodnight."

MSNBC's Michael A. Cohen tweeted, "So Nuzzi wrote a piece about the 'conspiracy of silence' round Joe Biden while having a relationship with one of his rivals in the presidential campaign. Feels like an ever so slight ethical lapse."

Former Obama White House official Patrick Dillon discussed media coverage of the news in a Friday morning, September 20 tweet, posting, "It's a statement of fact that Playbook either has a substantial unintentional oversight in its coverage of politics and journalism this morning or intentionally extended a courtesy it would likely never give to any other high profile subject of its beat."

Mark Jacob, a former Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reporter, posted an example of "Olivia Nuzzi puffing up RFK Jr." in her coverage.

Jacob, in a separate tweet, described that reporting as "evidence of her pro-RFK bias."

Pastor Ben Marsh wrote, "North Carolina has spent millions on brand new ballots in part because Olivia Nuzzi decided to fluff up RFK Jr in the page of the New York Magazine, gaining him enough attention to get on the ballot in NC when he then sued to get off after the deadline. Your tax $ at work."

Attorney Bradley P. Moss argued, "It’s fascinating so far how most of the scandalous attention is on Olivia Nuzzi. Not on RFK, Jr. It takes two to tango, folks.

HuffPost's Christopher Mathias tweeted, "Rufo, Robinson, Nuzzi, RFK… there is still an hour left of this day."

Many X users noted the age difference between Nuzzi and RFK Jr. And journalist Nokimi Konst commented, "I'm gonna leave this here: maybe, just maybe, consider RFK’s role as a 70 year old on a 31 year old female reporter. Like y’all are self proclaimed feminists but on Twitter just are full on bullies."

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