Oreskes resigns as NPR news chief after harassment report

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Michael Oreskes, senior vice president of news and editorial director of National Public Radio (NPR), speaks during the rededication of the Journalists Memorial at the Newseum in Washington, DC, June 5, 2017, as the names of 14 journalists who died or were killed while reporting the news in 2016 are added to the memorial.

Michael Oreskes has resigned as chief of NPR’s newsroom following accusations of sexual harassment that dated back to the 1990s.

Oreskes said in a statement Wednesday that he was deeply sorry to the people he hurt. He said: “my behavior was wrong and inexcusable, and I accept full responsibility.”

He said he told Jarl Mohn, president and CEO of NPR, on Wednesday morning that he would step down. Earlier, Oreskes had been placed on leave and Mohn appointed Chris Turpin as the temporary news chief.

Two women had accused Oreskes of suddenly kissing them when they were discussing job prospects with him in the 1990s, when he was Washington bureau chief of The New York Times.