A prominent journalist who has covered Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign has been put on leave after acknowledging a personal relationship with a former reporting subject.
New York Magazine reported that its Washington correspondent, Olivia Nuzzi, did not disclose a “personal relationship” with an unnamed campaign subject while covering the 2024 election. The magazine stated that this omission violated its standards regarding journalists revealing personal interests that could influence their reporting.
The magazine’s statement indicated that had they known about the relationship, Nuzzi would not have been allowed to cover the presidential campaign. However, after reviewing her work, they found “no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias.”
Nuzzi is currently on leave while New York Magazine conducts a comprehensive third-party review of the situation. The statement also expressed regret for this breach of trust with their readers.
Although Nuzzi and New York Magazine did not identify the reporting subject, various media outlets, including Status, CNN, and The New York Times, have reported that it was Kennedy.
In a statement to The New York Times, Nuzzi said that “some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal” earlier this year but clarified that she did not cover him directly during this period. She acknowledged that while the relationship was not physical, it should have been disclosed to avoid the appearance of a conflict. Nuzzi expressed regret for not revealing the relationship sooner and extended her apologies, particularly to her colleagues at New York.
Stefanie Spear, a spokesperson for Kennedy, disputed the nature of the relationship, claiming that he only met Nuzzi once during a requested interview that resulted in a critical article.
Nuzzi authored a substantial piece on Kennedy in November 2023, titled “The Mind-Bending Politics of RFK Jr.’s Spoiler Campaign,” and conducted an interview with Trump published on September 9. The online version of her recent article now includes a “note to readers” referencing New York Magazine’s statement.
Kennedy, who rose to fame as an environmental attorney and later as a prominent anti-vaccine advocate, exited the presidential race last month and declared his support for Trump.