Read Matt Lauer’s Statement on Sexual Misconduct Allegations
We're hearing from Matt Lauer one day after he was fired from The Today Show following a formal complaint of inappropriate sexual behavior at work.
Lauer's statement, via an NBC news report:
"There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry. As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC. Some of what is being said about me is untrue or mischaracterized, but there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly. Repairing the damage will take a lot of time and soul searching and I'm committed to beginning that effort. It is now my full time job," he added. "The last two days have forced me to take a very hard look at my own troubling flaws. It's been humbling. I am blessed to be surrounded by the people I love. I thank them for their patience and grace."
While NBC officials have said this was the first sexually charged complaint it had received about Lauer, the New York Times is reporting at least two more women have come forward since the story broke:
One complaint came from a former employee who said Mr. Lauer had summoned her to his office in 2001, locked the door and sexually assaulted her. She provided her account to The New York Times but declined to let her name be used.
She told The Times that she passed out and had to be taken to a nurse. She said that she felt helpless because she didn’t want to lose her job, and that she didn’t report the encounter at the time because she felt ashamed.
Lauer, 59, had been an anchor on 'Today' for more than twenty years.