Olivia Nuzzi on leave from New York magazine after alleged affair with RFK Jr

A star political reporter for New York magazine is on leave following an affair allegedly with RFK Jr.

Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi disclosed to editors that she had ‘engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign’, the outlet confirmed.

Status reports that the affair was with the former presidential hopeful, who is married to actress Cheryl Hines.

Nuzzi, 31, has been engaged to Politico’s chief Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza, 50, since 2022.

RFK Jr., 70, is said to have met the political journalist when she did a profile on him last year. 

New York magazine Washington correspondent Olivia Nuzzi is on leave following an affair allegedly with RFK Jr.

‘Recently our Washington Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi acknowledged to the magazine’s editors that she had engaged in a personal relationship with a former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign while she was reporting on the campaign, a violation of the magazine’s standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures,’ a statement from New York magazine read.

‘Had the magazine been aware of this relationship, she would not have continued to cover the presidential campaign. 

‘An internal review of her published work has found no inaccuracies nor evidence of bias. 

‘She is currently on leave from the magazine, and the magazine is conducting a more thorough third-party review. We regret this violation of our readers’ trust.’

The reporter has acknowledged an inappropriate relationship, but did not name the individual concerned.

‘Earlier this year, the nature of some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal,’ she told DailyMail.com. 

‘During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source,’ she said. 

The former presidential hopeful is married to Hollywood actress Cheryl Hines

‘The relationship was never physical but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict. I deeply regret not doing so immediately and apologize to those I’ve disappointed, especially my colleagues at New York.’ 

The two met when Nuzzi went hiking with father-of-six RFK last year for a profile in New York magazine. 

A spokesman for RFK Jr. told CNN: ‘Mr. Kennedy only met Olivia Nuzzi once in his life for an interview she requested, which yielded a hit piece.’ 

An insider told the outlet that the relationship was ’emotional and digital in nature, not physical’.

A source close to Nuzzi told Status that the relationship did not begin until after the profile was published in November 2023. The alleged couple reportedly started a relationship around the new year.

People close to the matter said she did not proactively disclose the affair and New York magazine only recently learned of it. 

In 2015, she posted a tweet where she railed against Hollywood depictions of journalists using their sexuality to get ahead.

‘Why does Hollywood think female reporters sleep with their sources?’ she asked, along with an article about the portrayal of women in the media as ‘slutty ambition monsters’.

Nuzzi, 31, is engaged to Politico’s chief Washington correspondent Ryan Lizza, 50

In her profile Nuzzi, described meeting the former presidential candidate at the $7 million California home he shares with his wife.

She painted a picture of RFK Jr. as an anti-establishment candidate, ‘turning the presidential election upside down’.

‘Fear — and denial — is what Kennedy seems to inspire among the staid Washington Establishment supporting the incumbent president and the gangland anti-Establishment Establishment supporting the former president,’ she wrote.

She touched on conflict in RFK Jr.’s marriage over his appearance on Steve Bannon’s show and those of other right-wing personalities.

‘Bannon was only the beginning. Poor Cheryl,’ Nuzzi wrote. 

At the time the piece was published, RFK Jr. was in the election race as an independent candidate, but has since dropped out and endorsed Trump. 

Nuzzi’s last article, in which she described examining Trump’s ear following the Butler assassination attempt, was published on New York magazine on September 9. 

Nuzzi reportedly met RFK Jr when doing a profile on him for New York magazine

It comes amid the news that RFK Jr. is under federal investigation after he allegedly cut off the head of a dead whale and took it home two decades ago.

RFK Jr. has been married to third wife Hines since 2014. As well as his six children and two grandchildren, he is a stepfather to her daughter from a previous relationship. 

Nuzzi announced her engagement to Lizza on Instagram on September 22, 2022 with a series of videos showing off a huge, solitaire-cut sparkler on her ring finger. 

The couple were due to publish a book together about the 2020 election which has since stalled.

Page Six reported that they were struggling to come up with the anticipated political scoops, with Biden’s team in particular mistrustful of Nuzzi. 

The book is still available for pre-order for $16.99 though is not available on Amazon until 2027.

Lizza has two children and was previously married to doctor Christine Gillespie.

RFK Jr.’s spokesman said he met Nuzzi on one occasion only which resulted in a ‘hit piece’

He was formerly a writer for the New Yorker but was fired in 2017 amid a #MeToo scandal after he was accused of ‘improper sexual conduct’. 

Lizza branded the conclusion a ‘terrible mistake’ which had not received a proper investigation. 

Other media outlets who worked with Lizza conducted their own probe, but did not find evidence of wrongdoing.

DailyMail.com has contacted RFK Jr. for comment.