When Susan Fowler rocked Uber ’s world witha punctilious accountof the ship’s company ’s intimate molestation and sex secernment take , the drive - share service turned to its only distaff display board member to help pick up its culture ( and its image ) . Arianna Huffington was perfectly poised to position herself as the feminist savior who would recommend for Uber ’s women — she oversee the subsequent Eric Holder investigation , and predict that“no splendid jerky will be allowed , and no one will be protected because they are top performers . ” But being a powerful char with a bet in a company , and its profits , does n’t mean Huffington was actually the best choice to defend char struggling to make their voices heard .
Huffington’swell - documented historyof fostering a toxic oeuvre culture , and give way to come up to unfitting behavior from a “ brilliant jerk ” in her own thick , calls into interrogation the sincerity behind her pledge to help bring confident change to Uber ’s culture . Most notably , her history with aformer managing editorwhose “ transfer ” to launch HuffPost India was later give away to be result of an HR investigation into whether he had sexually harassed multiple untried women in the New York office . Gizmodo recently revisit those allegement and not only independently confirmed that the investigation was indeed the reason for that managing editor ’s transfer , but that Huffington knew about his action before they were describe to 60 minutes , accord to a former employee with verbatim knowledge of the investigation .
Huffington ’s preceding bears revisit not only because of her theatrical role at Uber , but also because of the late wave of allegations about out or keeping workplace conduct . It is important to note that oftentimes , harasser in place of power can stay to engage in intimate wrongdoing without consequence due to the complicity of those in their professional sphere . And that include cleaning lady . Harvey Weinstein , for instance , had women in his inner circle thatenabled his demeanor . But in those cases , these women were stymy by the disproportionate power dynamic , keeping the closed book of their higher-ranking at the risk of lose their chore or jeopardizing their career .
But you ca n’t make the argument that Huffington ’s job security was peril . She was at the top . By turning a blind eye , she bear ultimate obligation for any issues that arose under her leadership . While she may proclaim herself a women’s rightist , her bankruptcy to foster a safe work environment for women junior to her take a leak that annunciation empty and seemingly simply a tool to further her marque and her calling . There is baffling hypocrisy in asserting thata healthy oeuvre environment is crucialwhen you have wilfully disregard a toxic cultivation that thrived under your leading . Huffington had the power to localise an example — but she did n’t .
In May of 2014 , Huffington sent a laudatory memorandum to her then staff at the Huffington Post about the furtherance of one of her most trust lieutenants Jimmy Soni , the then - bring off editor at the Huffington Post and widely see as her favorite among the editorial leadership squad . Huffington announcedto her employees that Soni would be leaving to launch HuffPost India in New Delhi , a surprising move since he had beenpromoted to managing editor in January 2012with no direct backdrop in editorial and after serving as Huffington ’s tribal chief of staff for just nine calendar month .
Not in public known at that time was why Soni was dead being send out abroad and forth from the newsroom . A few months laterGawker revealedthat the transfer was likely the result of an HR investigation into whether Soni was sexually harassing young women while he oversaw the newsroom .
Given Huffington ’s new theatrical role as Uber ’s toxic culture clean - up consultant , Gizmodo verbalize with nine Huffington Post employee , current and former , who spoke under the stipulation of anonymity because they continue to work in medium and fear retaliation from Huffington . A former employee with direct knowledge of the investigation not only severally confirmed that the investigation was indeed the reason for Soni ’s transfer , but that Huffington “ 100 percent have intercourse ” about Soni ’s actions before they were reported to HR . Another employee in a elderly leaders office at that prison term also confirmed Huffington ’s direct knowledge of Soni ’s harassing deportment beforeshe station out the memo , in which Huffington called it a “ aspiration of Jimmy ’s , as both his parents were conduct and raised there . ” Huffington also notice in the memorandum that it was dandy for the caller that Soni would be the one spearheading such a significant launching .
One former staff member allege that on one or two occasion while Soni was superintend editor , he endeavor to kiss or make - out with her . She also added that when Soni took over as grapple editor , “ shit off the sports fan , ” and that he create a toxic work environment , enforcing unrealistic destination and working everyone indefatigably . “ Allies became enemies , opposition became allies . It was a mess . ” She name Huffington as someone who may value portray herself as a feminist , but at last prioritizes a unpitying work ethic over publication of sexual harassment , or what she conceive Huffington viewed as “ the softer side of things . ” She added that Huffington “ thinks those things can be drag in under the rug , but net profit ca n’t be , ” noting that “ everything for her is about the optics . ” In reply to Huffington ’s recent Uber circuit , she called Huffington “ a major hypocrite . ”
Another woman , a blighter at the metre , said that Soni was seduce her uncomfortable based on how he interacted with her over Facebook content after hour . She noted the disproportionate power dynamic , give Soni was in part responsible for for determining who among the fellows would be lease full time . Her Huffington Post fellowship was her first line of work out of college , and she remembers feeling unconnected as to why the editor of the entire newsroom was send her flirty messages . She said that he was allegedly communicating with a routine of other fellows in the same style he was with her , and had also done so in the past . Another former Huffington Post employee , who was an 18 - year - sometime houseman at the time , confirm that she had an ongoing consensual intimate human relationship with Soni , who was not only her superior but , as managing editor , a fellow member of Huffington ’s senior leading squad .
The fair sex who receive unwanted advances over Facebook courier was made so uncomfortable — the message had increased in frequency and acquire to petition that she go out for drinks with Soni at a time when a grown hiring decision was coming up — that she severalize a higher - up individual within the company in April or May of 2014 of Soni ’s behavior ; that higher - up then reported the exit to HR . The woman told Gizmodo that she was contacted “ maybe less than a week afterward ” by the sound squad at Huffington Post .
The reservoir with cognition of the investigation say that Huffington did n’t want to trade with Soni ’s behavior , so she entrust it to HR . “ She did n’t handle it in a unspoiled way , ” they said , add that “ HR protected Arianna and the company more than the employees . ”
The woman who reported Soni to a high - up allege that she was well-chosen with Soni ’s fleet leaving from the New York newsroom , because at the time she expected that no natural process would be take . She did , however , rule the India proclamation odd . She say that Huffington never sat down with any of the fellows or rationalize for what find with Soni . “ Do I intend she is a truly feminist advocate ? No . By no means . ” Numerous anonymous source said that , internally , the announcement was widely considered to be a PR strategy to move Soni out of his stance in Christ Within of the allegations . Four former Huffington Post employees said they were questioning about the memo ’s explanation and Soni ’s sudden departure from the newsroom .
Huffington ’s noesis of the investigation into Soni , together with an absence seizure of recognition of the issue internally or outwardly , cast doubt on her committedness to preach on behalf of women . A Huffington Post employee who was an editor at the clock time said that Huffington was “ very protective of those who were in her inner lair , ” adding that “ I do n’t doubt for a fraction of a sec that she would protect them whether it ’s for sexual wrongful conduct or professional misdealings . ”
The investigating into Soni was fairly widely reported at the time , and yet , to this day , Huffington has n’t acknowledged that she allowed a toxic body of work acculturation to fly high beneath her . Not only that , but she sent him off in a flattering manner while failing to come up to the womanhood who had issued complaint . It is this type of behavior — rewarding mellow performer and ignore victims — that Huffington is vowing to wipe out from Uber ’s workplace polish .
Fowler recently cast suspicion on Huffington ’s ability to defend for woman at the caller . She told the New York Times in October that she was “ disappointed ” in Huffington “ because I expected her to be an counsellor , ” referencingHuffington ’s March 2017 CNN appearancein which she say that intimate harassment was n’t a systemic issue at the troupe . It look Fowler ’s suspicions of Huffington ’s earnestness were well set up .
Huffington turn down to comment on the record and Soni could not be reached for comment .
Do you have information about the Huffington Post or Huffington ? Email me:[email protected ]
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