CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin announced on Friday that he was leaving the network he'd returned to after being put on leave following an incident in which he masturbated, supposedly accidentally, on a Zoom gathering with his other colleagues at The New Yorker.
Announcing the news on Twitter, Toobin — who is currently on vacation — announced that he wouldn't be returning to CNN's airwaves following his time off and, in classic style, used the news to hawk his forthcoming book on the Oklahoma City bombing:
Friends, I’ve decided that, after 20 years, I’m leaving @cnn after my vacation. Was great to spend my last day on air with pals Wolf, Anderson and Don. Love all my former colleagues. Watch for my next book, about the Oklahoma City bombing, coming in 2023 from @simonandschuster
— Jeffrey Toobin (@JeffreyToobin) August 12, 2022
Toobin had been with CNN since 2002, a network that — unlike The New Yorker — welcomed him back rather than firing him after he exposed himself on a Zoom call.
CNN responded to the news saying the network is "grateful for Jeffrey’s contributions to the network over the years and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
Still, Toobin's is one of CNN's highest-profile departures since the network's parent company merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery and inherited new leadership that has suggested anti-Trump resistance programming wouldn't pass muster.
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Conveniently and — let's be honest — wisely, Toobin turned off replies on his farewell announcement. But that didn't keep the Twitterverse from quote-tweeting his farewell in a rare example of what makes the internet worthwhile:
Off to spend some quality alone time? https://t.co/0vYzyo2Zpc
— Mia Cathell (@MiaCathell) August 12, 2022
It's a stain on @cnn's reputation that they didn't fire him. https://t.co/pi7U8IFlca
— Pradheep J. Shanker (@Neoavatara) August 12, 2022
Congrats! We all know how much you love time to yourself. https://t.co/1coMTCuHpy
— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) August 12, 2022
I hope you cleaned up after yourself. https://t.co/zVpkRxwvOU
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 12, 2022
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