Presidential candidates call for investigation into ‘toxic culture’ at NBC News ahead of MSNBC debate

Presidential candidates Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are asking NBC to conduct an outside investigation into “the toxic culture” at the network.

The request, which comes a day ahead of Wednesday’s Democratic debate on MSNBC, was made in the form of a letter addressed to DNC chairman Tom Perez and co-signed by the four senators.

“We, the undersigned candidates, are very concerned about the message it would send to sexual assault survivors if our next debate is sponsored by MSNBC without clear commitments from Comcast, the parent company of NBC and MSNBC, to conduct an independent investigation into the toxic culture that enabled abusers and silenced survivors,” the letter, first reported on by the Huffington Post, states.

The letter continues, “The troubling reports about management’s role to cover up abuse demonstrate that Comcast should have and needs to do more to shift the work culture and pursue significant structural changes in order to prevent future harassment and abuse at NBC and MSNBC.

“Until that happens, employees are at risk.”

The senators write that the party needs to provide voters “a clear and unquestionable difference come November” from President Donald Trump, who they write, “has been credibly accused of sexual harrassment and sexual abuse by dozens of women.”

“We can not do that when we prop up and support companies that have systematically covered up numerous indicents of sexual violence with no accountability or changes of leadership,” the letter says.

In his book “Catch and Kill,” investigative journalist Ronan Farrow paints an alleged pattern by NBC of paying off victims of harassment and assault, and then covering up the incidents prior to “Today” host Matt Lauer’s firing for sexual misconduct in late 2017. NBC News President Noah Oppenheim has denied the claims and the network has resisted calls for an external investigation into what it knew and when, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

NBC has not responded to the letter, which makes no other mention of the debate.

The four senators will be joined on the stage Wednesday night in Atlanta by former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, businessman Tom Steyer, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. The debate will be moderated by MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, NBC News political reporters Andrea Mitchell and Kristen Welker, and the Washington Post’s Ashley Parker.