Sexual assault lawsuit by former ABC ‘Good Morning America’ producer against NewsNation President Michael Corn settled
A sexual assault lawsuit brought by a former ABC “Good Morning America” producer against news executive Michael Corn and the network has been settled.
Previously dismissed and then reinstated on appeal, the 2-year-old lawsuit was resolved Friday with a stipulation of dismissal filing, and no definitive ruling on the facts of the case.
Kirstyn Crawford filed the lawsuit in August 2021 in New York state court, alleging Corn, while he was executive producer of ABC’s top-rated morning news show, groped and kissed her during a trip to Los Angeles to cover the Academy Awards in February 2015.
The lawsuit also alleged Corn, who now heads Chicago-based NewsNation, harassed her and created a “pervasive toxic work environment” at ABC News, according to the complaint.
In June 2022, New York State Supreme Court Judge Barbara Jaffe dismissed the lawsuit, ruling the alleged sexual assault was outside the three-year statute of limitations and Corn’s alleged subsequent actions did not support the hostile work environment claim.
But in May, the Appellate Division overturned much of the decision, reinstating the hostile work environment and sex discrimination claims as timely and ruling the alleged facts comprised “a single continuing pattern of unlawful conduct extending into the (limitations) period immediately preceding the filing of the complaint.”
A settlement in the matter was then negotiated before ABC filed for the dismissal Friday in New York state court.
In a joint statement, ABC News and Crawford said they have resolved their dispute and the lawsuit was concluded. The network thanked Crawford for “courageously speaking out about her experience at ABC News,” while Crawford thanked ABC News “for its prompt response to her formal complaint in 2021,” the statement read.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Milton Williams, a New York attorney who represented Crawford in the lawsuit, declined to comment Monday.
The lawsuit alleged Corn, who left ABC in April 2021 and joined NewsNation as president the following month, sexually assaulted “at least” two female employees during his 18 years as a rising producer at ABC. It also claimed ABC swept the alleged sexual assaults under the rug to protect its brand, allowing Corn to land at NewsNation.
Corn denied the allegations in an August 2021 statement issued through his attorney, calling Crawford’s claims “demonstrably false.” His attorney did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
In an October 2021 motion to dismiss, ABC said an internal investigation determined “that it was more likely than not that Corn violated ABC’s policies” and he was “promptly terminated” by the network.