In the filing, the Politico journalist said that he is now “forced to defend…against baseless accusations,” in court. Whether the DC Superior Court rules that the allegations are “baseless” as claimed, or sides with Nuzzi, a decision won’t come until after the election. Judge Sean Staples set a November 19 hearing date to continue proceedings and consider Nuzzi’s petition for a protective order.
Meanwhile, with this feud unresolved until after Election Day, it is safe to assume that both Nuzzi and Lizza will not be back at their respective desks for the results of the historic Kamala Harris–Donald Trump race.
Nuzzi was placed on leave from New York last month after acknowledging the relationship to the magazine’s editorial leadership. Staffers were informed about an ongoing independent third-party investigation into Nuzzi’s conduct and instructed not to discuss the matter until resolved. Vox Media declined to comment on the status of the investigation.
Nuzzi has maintained that her “digital relationship” with Kennedy, which spanned the course of several months, never turned physical, as reported by Lachlan Cartwright. A spokesperson for Kennedy did not respond to a request for comment.
Lizza, who serves as chief Washington correspondent and coauthor of the “Playbook” newsletter, is currently taking a leave of absence while Politico conducts its own investigation. A Politico spokesperson declined to provide an update on the status of the investigation.
A Politico journalist who spoke with Vanity Fair on the condition of anonymity, said that Lizza’s absence “hasn’t affected how people do their job,” adding that “people are really focused on producing good work and covering the campaign.” Staffers are not expecting Lizza to return before the election comes to a close. The individual added that internally, employees are viewing the incident as a “personal tragedy,” for Lizza and are awaiting the determination from the company’s investigation into the matter.
While New York magazine, which is currently wrapping up its media issue, has not covered the scandal, Politico highlighted the latest developments in Wednesday morning’s “Playbook,” linking to a Washington Post article along with the header, “FOR YOUR RADAR.”
