A prominent journalist's undisclosed relationship with a presidential campaign subject has led to her suspension from New York Magazine.
NBC News reported that Olivia Nuzzi, a star reporter known for her coverage of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign, has been placed on leave after admitting to a personal relationship with a former reporting subject.
New York Magazine issued a statement on Thursday, acknowledging that Nuzzi had failed to disclose a personal relationship with an unnamed campaign subject while reporting on the 2024 election. The magazine emphasized that this violation of their standards on journalists declaring personal interests could potentially influence coverage.
New York Magazine stated that had they been aware of this relationship, Nuzzi would not have been allowed to continue covering the presidential campaign. However, the magazine also noted that upon review of her work, they found no inaccuracies or evidence of bias.
The publication has initiated a more thorough third-party review of Nuzzi's work. In their statement, they expressed regret for this violation of readers' trust and confirmed that Nuzzi is currently on leave from the magazine.
While neither Nuzzi nor New York Magazine named the specific reporting subject, several media outlets, including Status, CNN, and The New York Times, have reported that the subject in question was Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Nuzzi provided a statement to The New York Times, addressing the situation without elaborating on the exact nature of the relationship. She said:
Some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal earlier this year. 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.
Nuzzi also claimed that despite having covered the subject previously, she did not report on him directly during the time of their personal communication.
In response to the controversy, Stefanie Spear, a spokesperson for Kennedy, provided a brief statement to NBC News. She said:
Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece.
The revelation has led to scrutiny of Nuzzi's previous work, particularly her November 2023 article about Kennedy titled "The Mind-Bending Politics of RFK Jr.'s Spoiler Campaign." The article's subheading described Kennedy as both a conservative and a liberal who could potentially "turn the presidential race upside down."
New York Magazine has since updated Nuzzi's recent interview with Trump, published on September 9, with a "note to readers" linking to their statement about the situation.
This incident highlights the importance of journalistic integrity and the potential consequences of undisclosed relationships between reporters and their subjects. It also raises questions about the impact on public trust in media coverage of political campaigns.
Olivia Nuzzi, a prominent journalist, has been placed on leave from New York Magazine due to an undisclosed personal relationship with a former reporting subject, believed to be Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The magazine found no inaccuracies in her work but is conducting a thorough review. This situation underscores the critical importance of transparency in journalism, especially in political reporting.
