NBC News wins award for reporting on sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill

The NBC News Capitol Hill Bureau team on Wednesday night won the Joan Shorenstein Barone Award for its reporting on sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill.  

The award-winning reporting was led by Kasie Hunt and Leigh Ann Caldwell. Hunt also hosts a weekend program on MSNBC.

{mosads}Hunt talked about the effects of the reports during her acceptance speech.

“Reporting on sexual harassment is an incredibly delicate assignment that is deeply personal for victims and has the highest of consequences,” Hunt said. “In the year we spent reporting on this, four members of Congress resigned in the wake of allegations related to sexual harassment.” 

“The House and the Senate have passed bills to change that incredibly arcane reporting process that discouraged victims from coming forward — and used taxpayer money to cover the cost of harassment settlements,” she continued. “But that work is still unfinished — a final bill hasn’t passed because of disagreements between the two chambers, particularly over the question of whether members of Congress should have to cover the cost of any sexual harassment settlement out of their own pockets — instead of on the taxpayer dime.”

Caldwell cited the “courage” of the women who have come forward in her remarks.

“This award is a recognition not only of the words written or packages produced — but it’s a testament to their courage and their strength in coming forward,” Caldwell said.

The award come nearly one year after “Today” show host Matt Lauer was ousted from the network amid sexual harassment allegations. 

The award is named after Joan Shorenstein Barone, the late CBS producer and Washington Post journalist known for her tenacity. Shorenstein Barone died in 1985 at age 38 after a battle with cancer.

The team of associate producer Marianna Sotomayor, producer Alex Moe, producer Frank Thorp, correspondent Garrett Haake and producer Rich Gardella also were named as recipients for the award.