With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
Gloria Allred has no problem with her daughter advising Harvey Weinstein
When the New York Times published a story earlier this week accusing movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexually harassing numerous women over nearly three decades, it wasn't a surprise to many people in the entertainment industry.
Rumors had long floated around Hollywood about his conduct with female staffers and actresses.
What shocked more people — or at least threw them off-guard — was his lawyer, Lisa Bloom.
They were surprised that a female attorney would defend a man accused of such sustained sexual harassment. Surprised at her justifications for Weinstein's behavior (she brushed it off, calling him "an old dinosaur learning new ways"). Surprised because her mother is Gloria Allred, a feminist attorney famous for representing women who have accused powerful men of wrongdoing.
Allred represented an actress who said Roman Polanski sexually abused her as a teenager and another woman who claimed HP executive Mark Hurd sexually harassed her. She is also representing several women who say they were assaulted by Bill Cosby and at least three women who accuse Donald Trump of sexual misconduct.
Allred may even have been contacted by some of Weinstein's accusers, although she won't confirm or deny that.
"I do have accusers who are contacting me," Allred told KPCC. "I'm not going to say what, if anything, is going to happen. But it's an evolving situation. We'll have to wait and see how many women decide to come forward."
On Saturday — a day before he was fired — Bloom announced that she'd resigned from her role as an adviser to Weinstein. While that should spare any awkwardness at Thanksgiving, that hasn't stopped the speculation.
Mother and daughter have totally separate practices. Allred says she and Bloom don't second-guess each other's client choices or advise each other on cases.
More than that, she's a proud mom — even if her daughter was advising the kind of man Allred has a built her career on taking down.
"I am proud of my daughter. And all the reports that somehow I've condemned or criticized her are absolutely false. She's a professional. I'm a professional. And we do what we believe is best," Allred said.
Based in Los Angeles, Allred is familiar with the entertainment industry and thinks Weinstein is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sexual harassment.
"As in many, many different workplaces, there's a great deal of sexual harassment," she said, referring to Hollywood's casting couch. "I always say how many women is it going to take before one woman is believed? Mr. Weinstein is the current person at issue but there are many others as well."
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
-
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million.
-
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it.
-
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course.
-
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits.
-
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol.