Tavis Smiley Vows to Fight PBS Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations, Suspension

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Tavis Smiley says PBS railroaded him during its investigation into claims he was having sex with staffers, and he’s vowing to take a stand against the network’s “overreaction.”

The talk show host, who PBS suspended Wednesday, says he only learned of the PBS investigation through former staffers who let him know they’d been contacted. Smiley says he confronted his bosses, and only then did investigators talk to him … for 3 hours.

It’s clear Smiley isn’t happy with what went down — he says investigators refused to talk to his current staff or accept documentation supporting his side of the story. He insists he “never groped, inappropriately exposed myself or coerced any colleague in the workplace ever in my 30 year career.”

Smiley accuses PBS of running a sloppy investigation and says he will fight back.

He also says there’s a bigger picture conversation to be had about how men and women should be able to interact in the workplace.