‘She Said’: New Book Reveals More Details About Harvey Weinstein Investigation

Rebecca Rubin

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A forthcoming book about sexual harassment and abuse allegations leveled against Harvey Weinstein is bringing more details to light about the disgraced mogul.

Written by Jodi Kator and Megan Twohey, two New York Times reporters who broke the story of Weinstein’s years of misconduct, “She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement” delves deeper into the extent of Weinstein’s alleged misbehavior and contains new interviews with central figures in the scandal.

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The downfall of Weinstein galvanized the #MeToo movement in Hollywood that encouraged women to come forward about the predatory behavior of powerful men, including Kevin Spacey, former Pixar chief John Lasseter, Brett Ratner and Louis C.K. Weinstein is facing a criminal trial on charges of rape and sexual assault.

Among its numerous revelations, “She Said” unveils that two years before allegations against Weinstein became public, his brother Bob Weinstein urged him to get help. Bob Weinstein, who co-founded Miramax and the Weinstein Company with Harvey, claims he rationalized his brother’s actions as sex addiction and pressed him to get medical treatment.

“You have brought shame to the family and your company through your misbehavior,” Bob Weinstein wrote in a memo republished in “She Said.” “Your reaction was once more to blame the victims, or to minimize the misbehavior in various ways. If you think nothing is wrong with your misbehavior so in this area then announce it to your wife and family.”

One of the book’s key forces is Irwin Reiter, a former top executive at the Weinstein Company. “She Said” reveals that Reiter, who worked with Weinstein for decades, gave Kantor and Twohey the internal memo from an employee who details Weinstein’s harassment of junior employees and actresses. Reiter also notified the two reporters of recent accusations against Weinstein, providing a renewed urgency to the case.

Another central figure is former Miramax assistant Rowena Chiu, a Weinstein accuser who previously remained anonymous for 15 years. In the book, Chiu reveals she received a settlement in 1998 after Weinstein allegedly assaulted her in her hotel room. Weinstein attempted to silence her with a restrictive nondisclosure agreement and drew her back to Miramax to keep her close. Chiu says she struggled with depression and attempted suicide while staying silent.

“She Said” also uncovers how Weinstein’s lawyer Lisa Bloom attempted to hinder Weinstein accusers through intimidation tactics or painting them as liars. Bloom also offered to help damage the reputation of Rose McGowan, one of Weinstein’s most vocal accusers.

“I feel equipped to help you against the Roses of the world, because I have represented so many of them,” Bloom wrote in a memo to Weinstein in December 2016, which was reproduced in “She Said.” “We can place an article re her becoming increasingly unglued, so that when someone Googles her this is what pops up and she’s discredited,” the memo said. Bloom has since resigned as Weinstein’s lawyer and said representing him was a “colossal mistake.”

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