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Fact check: Garrison keillor didn't do anything wrong
1. Summary of the results
1. Summary of the results:
Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) terminated their relationship with Garrison Keillor in 2017 following an investigation that uncovered dozens of sexually inappropriate incidents over multiple years. These included unwanted sexual touching, explicit communications, and inappropriate relationships with subordinates. The investigation documented specific incidents, such as sending sexually suggestive messages to a 21-year-old student and writing an inappropriate limerick about a young bookstore employee.
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints:
- Keillor maintains his innocence, claiming the incident stemmed from attempting to console someone by touching their bare back
- The severity of allegations against Keillor was notably different from other #MeToo cases like Matt Lauer or Harvey Weinstein
- The power dynamics at play are crucial context: Keillor was not just a colleague but the founder and face of "A Prairie Home Companion," wielding significant influence over employees' careers
- MPR had significant financial interests in the situation, as they owned the rights to "A Prairie Home Companion" and had to weigh business implications of their response
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement:
The statement "garrison keillor didn't do anything wrong" ignores:
- Documented evidence from both internal and external investigations
- Multiple women's testimonies about inappropriate behavior
- The professional consequences Keillor faced (losing his MPR position, Washington Post column, and PBS series appearance)
- The established pattern of behavior over years, rather than a single incident
- The workplace power dynamics that made his behavior particularly problematic