Star political reporter Olivia Nuzzi is leaving New York Magazine, after the two sides agreed to “part ways” following the details of her “personal relationship” with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“Last month, the magazine enlisted the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine to review Olivia Nuzzi’s work during the 2024 campaign. They reached the same conclusion as the magazine’s initial internal review of her published work, finding no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias,” New York Magazine said in a statement on Monday.
“Nevertheless, the magazine and Nuzzi agreed that the best course forward is to part ways. Nuzzi is a uniquely talented writer and we have been proud to publish her work over her nearly eight years as our Washington Correspondent. We wish her the best.”
In September, Status broke the news that Nuzzi had engaged in a “personal relationship” with Kennedy, whom she profiled for the magazine in November 2023. Nuzzi, in a statement shared with Status, said the relationship between her and a “former reporting subject turned personal” earlier this year.
“During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source,” Nuzzi said. “The relationship was never physical but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict.”
The news of Nuzzi and Kennedy’s relationship quickly became a massive media story, with outlets like The New York Post reporting on the pair having “incredible” FaceTime sex. (Both sides have denied the relationship was ever physical.)
And the day following Status’ report, Ryan Lizza, Nuzzi’s ex-fiancee, said he would stop writing about Kennedy for Politico due to his connection with her; Lizza has since went on leave from Politico.
More recently, Lizza and Nuzzi have been battling in court, with Nuzzi claiming in a filing earlier this month that he stole and hacked her devices in August and began spreading word of her digital affair with Kennedy.
Lizza also “explicitly threatened to make public personal information about me to destroy my life, career, and reputation—a threat he has since carried out,” her lawsuit alleges. He claimed the allegations are false.
According to Lizza, he learned of Nuzzi and Kennedy’s relationship on Aug. 17 and asked her to move out shortly after. He said Nuzzi later “pleaded with me to consider returning to the relationship, telling me her affair ‘wasn’t real’ and that ‘I don’t want to give up’ on our relationship.”
This goes against a portion of Nuzzi’s complaint where she claimed his threats were in pursuit of the two of them getting back together.
“Her allegation of [me] trying to blackmail her back into our relationship is a disgraceful lie contradicted by the most basic facts,” Lizza said. “Ms. Nuzzi’s own recklessness is solely responsible for the public ridicule, humiliation and professional damage she says she has suffered.”
Lizza said Nuzzi told him that Kennedy — who is married to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Cheryl Hines — wanted to “possess,” “control,” and “impregnate” her.
