Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Jeffrey Toobin is signing off from CNN.
“Friends, I’ve decided that, after 20 years, I’m leaving @cnn after my vacation,” the network’s chief legal analyst, 62,tweetedFriday.
“Was great to spend my last day on air with pals Wolf, Anderson and Don,” he added, referring to CNN anchorsWolf Blitzer,Anderson CooperandDon Lemon.
“Love all my former colleagues,” Toobin continued. “Watch for my next book, about the Oklahoma City bombing, coming in 2023 from @simonandschuster.”
Toobin did not provide a reason for the departure.
A CNN spokesperson tells PEOPLE, “We are grateful for Jeffrey’s contributions to the network over the years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
It’s been 14 months since Toobinreturned to CNNfollowing an eight-month break. The hiatus was related to an October 2020 Zoom call in which Toobin masturbated in front of hisNew Yorkerand WNYC radio colleagues.
Toobin apologized to his family in a statement toVicethat month: “I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera. I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers. I believed I was not visible on Zoom. I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me. I thought I had muted the Zoom video.”
ANew Yorkerspokesperson told PEOPLE in November 2020, “As a result of our investigation, Jeffrey Toobin is no longer affiliated with the company.”
Meanwhile, he also took a break from the airwaves. “Jeff Toobin has asked for some time off while he deals with a personal issue, which we have granted,” a CNN rep said at the time.
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Toobin discussed the controversy whenhe returned to CNNin June 2021.
“Obviously, I wasn’t thinking very well or very much. It was something that was inexplicable to me,” Toobin told CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota onCNN Newsroom. “I think one point — I wouldn’t exactly say, ‘In my defense,’ because nothing is really in my defense — I didn’t think I was on the call. I didn’t think other people could see me. … I thought that I had turned off the Zoom call.”
“Now, that’s not a defense,” he added. “This was deeply moronic and indefensible, but that is part of the story. I have spent the seven subsequent months — miserable months in my life, I can certainly confess — trying to be a better person.”
source: people.com
