Mark Halperin’s ‘Game Change’ Partner Says He Was Unaware
For the political journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, work on the third installment of their popular “Game Change” book series — set
to be an insiders’ account of the final two months of the 2016 presidential race — came to an abrupt halt last Wednesday at around 10 a.m.
That was when Mr. Heilemann received a call from a shaken Mr. Halperin, who informed his longtime partner in writing and reporting
that CNN was about to publish a potentially damaging story.
Mr. Halperin — who has denied allegations of groping and assault,
but acknowledged pursuing relationships with ABC colleagues — worked at ABC until 2007, roughly a year before he teamed up with Mr. Heilemann for “Game Change” during the 2008 presidential campaign.
“I had never heard of, been exposed to or had any inkling of the notion
that he had engaged in any behavior that could be described in even the broadest sense of being sexual harassment or sexual assault,” Mr. Heilemann said, in his first public remarks since the claims against Mr. Halperin surfaced.
They wrote a sequel, “Double Down: Game Change 2012,”
and appeared frequently on cable news; Bloomberg was said to be paying Mr. Halperin and Mr. Heilemann salaries in the range of $1 million.
For the political journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, work on the third installment of their popular “Game Change” book series — set
to be an insiders’ account of the final two months of the 2016 presidential race — came to an abrupt halt last Wednesday at around 10 a.m.
That was when Mr. Heilemann received a call from a shaken Mr. Halperin, who informed his longtime partner in writing and reporting
that CNN was about to publish a potentially damaging story.
Mr. Halperin — who has denied allegations of groping and assault,
but acknowledged pursuing relationships with ABC colleagues — worked at ABC until 2007, roughly a year before he teamed up with Mr. Heilemann for “Game Change” during the 2008 presidential campaign.
“I had never heard of, been exposed to or had any inkling of the notion
that he had engaged in any behavior that could be described in even the broadest sense of being sexual harassment or sexual assault,” Mr. Heilemann said, in his first public remarks since the claims against Mr. Halperin surfaced.
They wrote a sequel, “Double Down: Game Change 2012,”
and appeared frequently on cable news; Bloomberg was said to be paying Mr. Halperin and Mr. Heilemann salaries in the range of $1 million.
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