Alec Baldwin leaves Twitter following criticism over Harvey Weinstein comments

The actor has been accused of victim-blaming after discussing payoffs in the cases against the producer

Alec Baldwin has announced he will not be posting on his personal Twitter account following a backlash against comments he made about the Harvey Weinstein allegations.

Hollywood producer Weinstein has made headlines in recent weeks after being accused of rape, sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct by numerous women – allegations that he “unequivocally denies”.

Baldwin had been criticised for speaking about how payoffs in the cases against Weinstein could have “set back the course of change”. Speaking to PBS, he said: “When you talked about Harvey Weinstein in the business, you knew that he was highly intrusive in the process of making films … you knew that he was a very intense guy … and last but not least, you heard the rumor that he raped Rose McGowan. You heard that over and over — we heard that for decades. And nothing was done.

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“Rose McGowan took a payment of $100,000 and settled her case with him. And it was for Rose McGowan to prosecute that case.”

He added: “Do the settlement of these cases hurt the cause of exposing and bringing us to a place of real change? When women take money, and are silenced by that money – even though they took the money and were silenced because they were told beyond the money it was the right thing for them to do, keep quiet, don’t make too many waves, it’s going to hurt your career — when they do it, nonetheless, does it set back the course of change? That’s an issue, I think.”

https://twitter.com/AsiaArgento/status/926828908653285377

Twitter users were quick to criticise the actor for those comments, including Asia Argento, who is one of Weinstein’s accusers. “You are either a complete moron or providing cover for your pals and saving your own rep,” she wrote. “Maybe all three.”

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Baldwin announced earlier today (November 4) that he would not be posting to his Twitter account anymore “in the current climate”.

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“It was never my intention, in my public statements, to ‘blame the victim’ in the many sexual assault cases that have emerged recently,” he said. “I simply posited that the settlement of such cases certainly delayed justice … My heart goes out to all such victims. My goal is to do better in all things related to gender equality.”

Meanwhile, the New York Police Department have confirmed they have a ‘credible’ case against Weinstein after investigating Boardwalk Empire actress Paz de la Huerta’s claims that the disgraced producer raped her on two separate occasions.

  • For help, advice or more information regarding sexual assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

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