Weinstein lawyer resigns as sexual harassment pressure mounts

  • 08/10/2017
Lisa Bloom
Attorney Lisa Bloom speaks during a press conference. Photo credit: Getty

Civil rights lawyer Lisa Bloom has resigned as an advisor to Hollywood film studio executive Harvey Weinstein, who is facing allegations of rampant sexual harassment.

Ms Bloom gave no explanation for her resignation, posted on Twitter, but the New York Times claims she was under siege from within Mr Weinstein's company for her approach to his defence.

Weinstein's brother, Bob, and fellow board member Lance Maerov had sent confrontational emails to her over the past two days.

The board convened an emergency conference call on Thursday evening (local time) to discuss the allegations and Ms Bloom outlined a plan that included "photos of several of the accusers in very friendly poses with Harvey after his alleged misconduct".

In one of his emails, revealed by the Times, Mr Maerov accused Ms Bloom of "fanning the flames and compounding the problem", and demanding she stand down from the company.

Bob Weinstein also blamed her counsel, as Democratic politicians gave away money his brother had donated, women's rights groups called for him to be fired and actors and actresses openly voiced their dismay.

"It is my opinion that you are giving your client poor counsel," Bob Weinstein wrote. "Perhaps Harvey, as he stated in the NY Times to the world, should get professional help for a problem that really exists."

A third of the all-male board of the Weinstein Company has resigned, and the remaining members announced on Friday they had hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. Weinstein had taken indefinite leave of absence.

"I have resigned as an advisor to Harvey Weinstein," Ms Bloom tweeted on Saturday morning. "My understanding is that Mr Weinstein and his board are moving toward an agreement." 

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