Harvey Weinstein Threatens the New York Times In Leaked Audio

Though it was just 2017, it seems like decades ago that the New York Times dropped its bombshell story documenting the litany of sexual assault allegations against former film mogul Harvey Weinstein. Now, audio of a conversation between Weinstein and reporters Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey before the story went live is going to be released.

Inside Edition acquired the audio of the call, which they plan to air on Thursday. In a teaser clip, Kantor and Twohey are heard describing the extent of their reporting, with Weinstein vacillating between pleading and threatening. According The Hollywood Reporter,

Weinstein also threatens to undermine Kantor and Twohey’s initial reporting on his alleged misconduct, saying at one point, “There are many mistakes you’ve made. I promise we will find them,” and at another, “It seems like you have a lotta hearsay on your hands. I’m gonna say this nicely: Get the facts right. You’re journalists.”

At another point, Weinstein seems concerned: “I’m not a saint, but I’m not the sinner you think I am,” he said.

Inside Edition notes that the Times was not recording, and that they got the tape from The Weinstein Company’s former head of human resources, Frank Gil. Though the reporters asked if they could tape the call at the beginning of the discussion, Weinstein declined—and said he wasn’t recording, either.

A Times spokesperson told THR that the call took place two days before the story ran in October of 2017, and that it “is part of the routine process of journalism.” They added that “Our journalists regularly reach out to those who figure prominently in our coverage for comment to ensure fairness and accuracy.”

Earlier this month, Gil filed a lawsuit against Weinstein claiming that he stiffed Gil out of a $450,000 payment that he’d promised him in exchange for sniffing out who had leaked information to the Times.