New Allegations Leveled At Charlie Walk
• New allegations of sexual misconduct have been leveled against Republic Records Group President Charlie Walk, the result of a month-long investigation by Rolling Stone. These allegations, which include numerous instances of unwanted sexual advances, lewd remarks, and inappropriate touching by Walk, now involve five former employees, two of whom are named — Pam Kaye and Kate Harold, who both worked for Walk at Columbia Records. These allegations, as also recounted by Variety, also include accounts from two anonymous former employees and Walk’s former assistant Tristan Coopersmith, who initially exposed alleged predatory behavior by Walk in an open letter posted late last month on her website.
Among the new allegations described by Ms. Kaye, who now works for RCA Records, is her description of one work function during which she says Walk “took his hand and put it down the front of my pants. I had to subtly try to get his hand away. It’s like a game. He would test the limits as much as he could.”
Harold, who was Walk’s former executive assistant at Columbia Records, recalled an incident during which he “forced his lips on mine with a quick, hard kiss and then rubbed his crotch up against me, letting me basically feel that he had an erection.” She goes on to characterize her work environment at the time as “really scary and depressing and probably the worst time of my professional life,” adding that early on, Walk “sat uncomfortably close to me and told me that he could lift my career to extraordinary heights but that I had to be ready to do ‘whatever it takes.’ He was clearly implying that I needed to be willing to sleep with him.”
In response to the Rolling Stone story, a Sony rep said, “Sony Music believes in a safe, professional and respectful workplace and will not tolerate behavior that isn’t within these guidelines.” In a statement to Rolling Stone, Walk said, “I did not do these things and this is not who I am. Throughout my career I have always sought to conduct myself professionally and appropriately. It is upsetting to be presented with false claims from long ago that I know to be untrue and were never reported. I support the national discussion taking place right now because I believe fully in the importance in treating everyone with respect and dignity at all times.” At press time Walk remains on administrative leave from Republic Records and was dropped as a judge on the season finale of Fox’s singing competition, The Four: Battle for Stardom.
