In a significant development, Olivia Nuzzi has departed from her role as a prominent writer at New York Magazine, just a month after being put on leave due to her undisclosed relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former presidential candidate.
The magazine previously stated that Nuzzi, aged 31, had breached its conflict of interest policies by engaging in a relationship with someone relevant to the 2024 campaign while covering the election—a situation that would have prohibited her from reporting on it had they been aware sooner.
It has been reported that Kennedy, 70, who recently withdrew from the presidential race and endorsed former President Donald Trump, was the individual involved. His spokesperson claimed that Kennedy met Nuzzi only once for an interview that was highly critical of him.
During her tenure as the magazine’s Washington correspondent since 2017, Nuzzi covered a range of stories, including profiles of various presidential candidates and critical reports on the Biden administration. Although the magazine found no inaccuracies or bias in her work following an internal review, they opted to part ways amicably.
Nuzzi expressed that the nature of some communications with a former reporting subject had become personal but clarified that the relationship was never physical and should have been disclosed to avoid any appearance of conflict.
Legal Battle Emerges
In a related matter, Nuzzi is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with her ex-fiancé, political journalist Ryan Lizza. She accuses Lizza of harassment and attempts to blackmail her into resuming their relationship following their breakup due to her prior affair with Kennedy.
Lizza has denied these allegations, stating he would recuse himself from covering Kennedy because of his connection to Nuzzi. However, the fallout from Nuzzi’s relationship has impacted Lizza’s professional standing as well.
Nuzzi’s suit claims Lizza threatened to disclose personal information to harm her reputation and career, while also alleging that he stole her devices and leaked information about her to the media. She claims some of this information was manipulated to further damage her.
As the legal proceedings unfold, a judge has scheduled a trial date for November 19 to assess Nuzzi’s request for a protective order against Lizza.
