Former CBS Producer Files Sexual Harassment Suit Against Network
A former producer for CBS is filing a lawsuit against two of his superiors, claiming that they both preyed on him and that CBS failed to intervene.
The complaint, obtained by the New York Post, was filed by Kenneth Lombardi and alleges that, when he was 28, he was repeatedly groped and harassed by two older men, both in prominent senior positions at the network.
“I have symptoms of PTSD from this,” Lombardi told the Post, and accused CBS of acting like “the Catholic Church or Penn State” in response to his claims.
One of the complaints, against then-CBS Radio senior producer Duane Tollison, detailed how he’d drunkenly cornered a “horrified” Lombardi during a party in 2013, “slid his hand down Plaintiff Lombardi’s pants and grabbed Plaintiff’s penis and testicles.” Tollison later sent him an email apologizing for his behavior: “I wanted to apologize if anything I did offended you or crossed a line. I like to get a little crazy. If you weren’t offended, then let’s do it again. LOL …… How is your day so far? :)”
The other complaint, against Albert “Chip” Colley, detailed even worse predatory behavior. Lombardi had asked Colley, the director of “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley”, for career advice, and Colley suggested that they meet at a gay bar nearby:
The conversation quickly turned X-rated. Grilled by Colley about his orientation, Lombardi reluctantly revealed he was bisexual.
“Colley told [Lombardi] that he did not really believe being ‘bisexual’ was real and told Plaintiff that he was actually completely gay,” the suit says.
The evening devolved from there, with Colley allegedly urging drinks on the younger man while rubbing his thigh, texting him porn site links and asking what he thought about when he watched porn videos, the suit says.
“He was sending me porn on my phone while he was talking about my career,” Lombardi said in a phone interview.
“I just turned 28 at time, Chip was in his mid- to late 50s, had been in the business for at least 30 years — he’s heavily connected — and he was running Scott Pelley ‘s news show,” Lombardi said. “I was terrified.”
Lombardi “started having an anxiety attack,” fled to the bathroom, and called his mom, begging for help, his suit says. Then he snuck out of the club.
“I have text messages and e-mails,” Lombardi told The Post. “While I was being attacked by Chip, I was texting my brother, ‘Oh my God, I’m about to be raped. Please, God, help me,’” he said. “It’s painful to even look at them again.”
Lombardi then took his claims to HR and his boss, Paula Cohen, but claims that they all stonewalled him.
“We believe Mr. Lombardi’s claims are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit,” a network spokesperson said.
[New York Post]
[Image via Twitter]
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