Transcript for Matt Lauer fights back against rape accusation
up. The latest on the rape allegation against Matt Lauer. Former “Today” host fired off a blistering letter categorically denying the accusation from a former NBC staffer who went on the record in the new book from Ronan farrow, “Catch and kill.” Linsey Davis has the story, good morning. Reporter: Good morning to you, George. Lauer claims the alleged assault was a consensual extramarital affair. It’s been noorly two years since he was fired and now he says my silence has been a mistake. Lauer writes after not speaking out to protect my children, it is now with their full support I say enough. At for the alleged victim she’s now count tennering with her own this morning Brooke Nevils firing back at Matt Lauer, the former anchor of the “Today” show after excerpts of Ronan farrow’s book “Catch and kill” leaked to “Variety.” Lauer who was fired in 2017 for inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace sent a 1400-word letter defending himself against the allegations describing his relationship with Nevils as headline extramarital affair that began in Sochi with a completely consensual sexual encounter writing there was absolutely nothing aggressive about the encounter. She was a fully enthusiastic and willing partner. At no time did she behave in any way that she was incapable of consent. She embraced me at the door when she left. She says it was a case study in victim blaming. I am not afraid of him now regardless of his threat, shaming and the predatory tactics I knew he would and now has used against me. She tweeted, it takes courage and I am actual LI grateful. Nevils describes a nonconsensual encounter with Lauer in his hotel room during the 2014 olympics in Sochi while working with co-anchor Meredith Vieira. After a night of drinking at the bar, she claims Lauer pushed her onto the bed flipping her over and forced her to engage in a particular sex act despite her multiple refusals. Nevils says it was nonconsensual in the sense that I was too drunk to concept and I said multiple times that I didn’t want to. According to “Variety,” farrow reports that Nevils acknowledges she had further sexual encounters with him once she returned home and said it was completely transactional. It was not a relationship. Lauer writes he ended what he calls their affair when he simply stopped communicating with her but says she tried to rekindle it. Lauer says I was never told she claimed our encounter in Sochi was nonconsensual. Had I been I would have defended myself immediately. According to “Variety,” Nevils told colleagues and superiors at NBC about the situation but didn’t go to NBC human resources until distraught Vieira encouraged her to do so in 2017. Within 24 hours of that complaint, Lauer was fired. At the time NBC chair Andy lack described his conduct as sexual misconduct, now in a letter lack sent to NBC news staff lack defended the network’s response saying, the first moment we learned of it was the night of November 27th, 2017 and he was fired in 24 hours. Any suggestion that we knew prior to that evening or tried to cover up any aspect of Lauer’s conduct is absolutely false and offensive. Lauer’s former “Today” co-host Ann curry tweeted in support of Nevils calling her a credible young woman of good character. She added, quote, I believe she is telling the truth and that breaks my heart. Boy, what a story. Thank you, linsey, very much. Tomorrow we’ll have the author, Ronan farrow of “Catch and kill,” his first broadcast interview tomorrow right here on
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
