New York Magazine announced on Thursday that its rising star in Washington, Olivia Nuzzi, has stepped back from her role after revealing a recent romantic connection with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Oliver Darcy, who broke the story for Status, reported that the magazine only recently learned about the relationship, notably before Nuzzi herself disclosed it.
“Recently our Washington Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi acknowledged to the magazine’s editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,” a spokesperson for the magazine told Darcy in a statement.
“Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign. An internal review of her published work has found no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias. She is currently on leave from the magazine, and the magazine is conducting a more thorough third-party review. We regret this violation of our readers,” the statement continued.
Nuzzi, 31, responded Thursday night, clarifying that the relationship wasn’t “physical” but rather “some communication” that “turned personal.”
“Earlier this year, the nature of some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal. During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source. 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,” she said.
The timeline of the relationship remains unclear, but Darcy reported that someone close to Nuzzi insists it began after her November 2023 profile of Kennedy. Interestingly, 70-year-old Kennedy reportedly bragged about the relationship in private.
Kennedy has been married to Curb Your Enthusiasm actress Cheryl Hines since 2014, his third marriage. Meanwhile, Nuzzi and Politico’s Chief Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza announced their engagement in September 2023.
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