CBS Hires Law Firms to Probe Moonves Misconduct Allegations

CBS Corp. said on Wednesday it retained two law firms for a full investigation into the allegations about Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves, CBS News and cultural issues in the company.

The board has also set up a special committee to help the probe, and Moonves will have no role in the investigation, CBS said in a statement.

The investigation by the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton will be led by Mary Jo White, a former chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, CBS said.

Covington & Burling, which previously worked with Uber Technologies Inc. to look into its culture and workplace practices, is the second law firm that will probe the matter.

Moonves, who joined CBS in 1995 and has been CEO since 2006, earlier said he “may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances”, which he called mistakes that he regretted immensely, but that he understood “‘no’ means ‘no’” and had never used his position to harm anyone’s career.

Moonves is the latest executive to come under scrutiny by the #MeToo social movement, which has sought to hold accountable male business leaders, politicians and entertainers for sexual misconduct, leading to resignations in major corporations, Hollywood and among lawmakers.

CBS board left Moonves in his post on Monday as it discussed sexual harassment claims against him.