Ryan Lizza

{{Infobox person

| name = Ryan Lizza

| image = Ryan Lizza March 27, 2013.jpg

| caption = Lizza in Kelly Writers House on March 27, 2013

| birth_name = Ryan Christopher Lizza

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|7|12}}

| birth_place = Dix Hills, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = University of California, Berkeley (BA)

| occupation = Political journalist

| partner = Olivia Nuzzi (engaged 2022–2024)

| children = 2

| credits = {{ubl

| The New Republic (1998–2007)

| New York magazine (2004–2006)

| GQ (2006–2007)

| The New Yorker Washington Correspondent (2007–2017)

| Esquire Chief Political Correspondent (2018–2019)

| Politico Chief Washington Correspondent (2019–)

| CNN Senior Political Analyst (2012–)

}}

Ryan Christopher Lizza{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/style/weddings-celebrations-christina-gillespie-ryan-lizza.html |title=Christina Gillespie, Ryan Lizza |date=20 June 2004 |work=The New York Times}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɪ|z|ə}} {{respell|LIZ-zə}}; born July 12, 1974) is an American journalist. His 2017 interview with White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci resulted in Scaramucci's dismissal.{{cite news|author1=Andrew Kirell |author2=Asawin Suebsaeng |author3=Lloyd Grove |language=en|title= The New Yorker Fires Star Reporter Ryan Lizza Over 'Improper Sexual Conduct'|work=Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-new-yorker-severs-ties-with-star-reporter-ryan-lizza|date=December 12, 2017}}

Later that year, Lizza was accused of sexual misconduct in the context of the Me Too movement.{{cite news|work=Vox|title=Sexual Harassment/Assault Allegations List|quote=Ryan Lizza is one of 262 celebrities, politicians, CEOs, and others who have been accused of sexual misconduct since April 2017|author1=Anna North |author2=Constance Grady |author3=Laura McGann |author4=Aja Romano |url=https://www.vox.com/a/sexual-harassment-assault-allegations-list/ryan-lizza}} (tying Lizza to the Me Too movement). After a decade-long run as The New Yorker{{'}}s Washington correspondent,{{cite news|first=Tom|last=Kludt|work=CNN|date=December 11, 2017|title=New Yorker fires star political reporter over alleged 'improper sexual conduct'|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/12/11/media/ryan-lizza-fired-new-yorker/index.html}} the magazine's internal review of the allegation against Lizza led to his dismissal.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/business/ryan-lizza-sexual-misconduct.html| first=Liam| last=Stack| title=Ryan Lizza Fired by The New Yorker Over Sexual Misconduct Allegation| work=New York Times| date=December 11, 2017}}

Several other media organizations declined to terminate or bar Lizza from employment in light of their own investigations.{{cite web|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article235667107.html|title=Another Devin Nunes lawsuit: Congressman sues magazine over story about family's Iowa farm|first=Kate|last=Irby|work=Fresno Bee|date=October 1, 2019|language=en|quote="Lizza has denied the allegation and investigations into Lizza’s conduct by CNN, Politico and other media companies determined there was no reason to keep Lizza off the air or bar him from employment."}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/rolling-stone-ryan-lizza-jann-gus-wenner-jay-penske-is-the-media-tycoon-du-jour|title=Can Rolling Stone Become Cool Again?|last=Pompeo|first=Joe|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=March 6, 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-13|quote=Last month, Penske called a meeting with Rolling Stone’s female editorial staff .... Concerns were raised about how it would be perceived if Lizza were to work at Rolling Stone, and whether Lizza was ultimately a good fit.... But after Lizza was cleared by CNN, and Rolling Stone had conducted its own due diligence, the editors moved forward with freelance assignments, as originally planned.}} He was a senior political analyst for CNN{{Cite web|url=https://politi.co/2JC9RJf|title=BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Ryan Lizza, longtime magazine writer and senior political analyst at CNN|author=Politico Staff|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2019-07-13}} and is currently the chief Washington correspondent for Politico.

Education

Lizza attended the Berkshire School,{{Cite web|url=https://www.berkshireschool.org/alumni/notable-alumni|title=Notable Alumni - Berkshire School|website=www.berkshireschool.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-13}} a private co-educational boarding school in the town of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley.{{Cite web|url=https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/00336000014TUHIAA4/ryan-lizza|title=Faculty|website=gufaculty360.georgetown.edu|access-date=2019-07-13}}

Journalism career

Lizza started his career at the Center for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco, where he worked on the Emmy Award-winning Frontline documentary Hot Guns.{{cite news |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/etc/script.html |title=Hot Guns: Tapes & Transcripts |publisher=PBS |date=June 3, 1997 |work=Frontline |access-date=January 3, 2012}}{{cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Doug |url=http://centerforinvestigativereporting.org/articles/hotguns |title=Hot Guns |publisher=Center for Investigative Reporting |date=June 3, 1997 |access-date=January 3, 2012}} In 1998, he joined The New Republic, where he became senior editor. From 1998 to 2007, Lizza covered Bill Clinton's impeachment, the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election, the George W. Bush administration, and the 2004 presidential election. In 2004, he also wrote about politics for The Atlantic, including one of the first national magazine profiles of Barack Obama.{{cite news |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/09/the-natural/3419/ |title=The Natural |work=The Atlantic |date=September 2004 |access-date=August 10, 2012|last=Lizza|first=Ryan}} From 2004 to 2006, Lizza was a contributing editor for New York magazine,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/ryan-lizza|title=Ryan Lizza|magazine=The New Yorker}} where he wrote about national politics. In 2006 and 2007, Lizza was also a correspondent for GQ.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/contributor/ryan-lizza|title=Ryan Lizza - Bio, latest news and articles|website=GQ|language=en|access-date=2019-07-13}} From 2002 to 2007, Lizza regularly contributed to The New York Times.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/search?endDate=20070317&query=%22Ryan%20Lizza%22&sort=oldest&startDate=20011208|title=The New York Times - Search|website=www.nytimes.com|access-date=2019-07-13}}

In 2004, The Washington Post described Lizza as part of the latest "crop of younger journalists who grab the attention of the media establishment through dogged reporting, sparkling writing or provocative analysis."{{cite news|last=Kurtz|first=Howard|date=2004-05-03|title=Fresh on The Page And Hot On the Trail|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/05/03/fresh-on-the-page-and-hot-on-the-trail/99efd2ce-4ea3-48bd-a024-148c8fc60f6a/}}

In 2007, Lizza became the Washington correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, where he covered the White House, three presidential elections (2008, 2012, and 2016), the administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, and wrote the magazine's "Letter From Washington" column.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/ryan-lizza|title=Ryan Lizza|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en|access-date=2019-07-13}} Lizza covered the 2008 U.S. presidential election for The New Yorker, and wrote an extended profile of Barack Obama's career in Illinois politics.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza |title=How Chicago politics shaped Barack Obama |last=Lizza|first=Ryan|magazine=The New Yorker |date=August 1, 2011 |access-date=January 3, 2012}} During the campaign, a cartoon in the New Yorker allegedly caused the Obama campaign to exclude Lizza from Obama's campaign plane, with a lack of space cited as the reason.{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/21/obamas-revenge-emnew-york_n_113969.html |title=Obama's Revenge: New Yorker Reporter Excluded From Press Plane For Overseas Trip |work=Huffington Post |access-date=January 3, 2012 |first=Rachel |last=Sklar |date=July 21, 2008}} In 2017, Lizza was fired from The New Yorker in relation to an allegation of sexual harassment.

On December 17, 2018, Publishers Marketplace reported that Lizza and Olivia Nuzzi, the Washington correspondent for New York magazine, were writing a "coauthored account of the 2020 presidential campaign" for Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.{{Cite web|url=https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?u=47c9040f6ff957a59bd88396e&id=16500767fa|title=Russian meddling continues; Trump boxed in; conspiracy 'in plain sight;' two scoops about two books; 'SNL' highlights; box office bomb of the year|website=us11.campaign-archive.com|access-date=2019-07-13}}{{Cite tweet|user=RossYoon|number=1074686509662507010|title=Our agents @RossGail and @annasproul are thrilled to be working with @RyanLizza and @OliviaNuzzi on a book about the 2020 election for @simonschuster 's new Avid Reader imprint! Check out today's Deal of the Day on Publishers Marketplace, too! http://bit.ly/2STtNKO|author=Ross Yoon Agency}}

On August 30, 2019, in a note to staff, Carrie Budoff Brown, Politico’s editor, and Matthew Kaminski, Politico’s Editor-in-Chief, announced that Lizza was joining Politico as Chief Washington Correspondent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2019/08/30/new-trump-heads-into-buzzsaw-in-north-carolina-473536|title=POLITICO Playbook: Trump heads into buzzsaw in North Carolina|last1=Sherman|first1=Jake|last2=Palmer|first2=Anna|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2019-08-31}}

Sexual misconduct allegation

File:Ryan Lizza, Miller Center 2015 (21442413725).jpg in 2015]]

On December 11, 2017, The New Yorker fired Lizza, saying that he engaged in "improper sexual conduct." Lizza called The New Yorker's characterization a "terrible mistake" that had been "made hastily and without a full investigation of the relevant facts." His alleged victim supported the magazine's version of the events; in a statement, her attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said, "[I]n no way did Mr. Lizza’s misconduct constitute a 'respectful relationship' as he has now tried to characterize it."{{cite web|work=Splinter News|author=Clio Chang|date=June 8, 2018|url=https://splinternews.com/this-is-how-easy-it-is-for-a-man-accused-of-sexual-mis-1826675779|title=This Is How Easy It Is For a Man Accused of 'Improper Sexual Conduct' to Get a Free Pass}}

Lizza was temporarily suspended by CNN pending an investigation; six weeks later, the network announced that its "extensive investigation" had yielded "no reason to continue to keep Mr. Lizza off the air."{{cite web|work=USA Today|title=Ryan Lizza returns to CNN after investigation into conduct|first=Mike|last=Snider|date=January 26, 2018|language=en|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/01/26/ryan-lizza-returns-cnn-after-investigation-into-conduct/1068538001/}} Politico, Rolling Stone and other media organizations were later said to have reached similar conclusions in determining whether to bar Lizza from employment.

Awards

In 2008, Lizza was a finalist for the National Magazine Award for Reporting, which "honors the enterprise, exclusive reporting, and intelligent analysis that a magazine exhibits in covering an event, a situation, or a problem of contemporary interest and significance."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/2009-american-society-of-magazine-editors-awards-finalists|title=2009 American Society of Magazine Editors Awards Finalists|last=Yorker|first=The New|magazine=The New Yorker|date=2009-03-17|access-date=2019-07-13|language=en|issn=0028-792X}}

In June 2009, The Washingtonian magazine included Lizza on its list of Washington's "50 Top Journalists" and described him as a writer who "change[s] the way readers see the world."{{cite news |first=Garrett M. |last=Graff |title=50 Top Journalists 2009 |url=http://www.washingtonian.com/print/articles/6/174/12512.html |work=The Washingtonian |date=2009-06-01 |access-date=2009-06-28}} That same year, his profile of President Barack Obama was nominated for a National Magazine Award.{{cite web |url=http://www.magazine.org/asme/magazine_awards/nma_winners/index.aspx |title=National Magazine Awards |publisher=American Society of Magazine Editors |date=November 1, 2011 |access-date=January 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701221749/http://www.magazine.org/asme/magazine_awards/nma_winners/index.aspx |archive-date=July 1, 2011 }}

In 2011, he received an Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting on Congress Honorable Mention{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS256844892620111214|title=National Press Foundation Honors Fox News' Chris Wallace|date=2011-12-14|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-07-13|language=en}} and Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting Honorable Mention{{Cite web|url=http://tonerprogram.syr.edu/|title=» Craig Harris wins first-ever Toner Prize|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-13}} for his reporting on Congress's failed attempt to pass climate legislation.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/11/as-the-world-burns|title=As the World Burns|last=Lizza|first=Ryan|magazine=The New Yorker|date=2010-10-03|access-date=2019-07-13|language=en|issn=0028-792X}}

In 2012, he won the Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence "for his coverage of the U.S. foreign policy battles during the 'Arab Spring.{{'"}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.press.org/news-multimedia/news/reporting-world-national-press-club-seeks-best-work|title=Reporting the world: National Press Club seeks the best work|date=2014-08-14|website=National Press Club|access-date=2019-07-13|last=Lester|first=Will}}

On April 27, 2013, the White House Correspondents' Association presented Lizza with the Aldo Beckman Award for Journalistic Excellence "for his remarkable efforts to provide an independent perspective on President Barack Obama's presidency and re-election."{{Cite web|url=https://whca.press/award/2013-award-winners/|title=2013 Award Winners|website=White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA)|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-13}}

In 2015, he was a finalist for the Newhouse School Mirror Award competition honoring excellence in media industry reporting (Best Single Article, Digital Media).{{Cite web|url=http://mirrorawards.syr.edu/2015/04/14/finalists-announced-in-2015-mirror-awards-competition/|title=Finalists announced in 2015 Mirror Awards competition|website=mirrorawards.syr.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-13}}

Lizza's writing was included in the 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 editions of The Best American Political Writing.{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=best+american+political+writing&x=0&y=0|title=best american political writing|publisher=Amazon.com|access-date=January 3, 2012}}

Personal life

Lizza is a resident of Washington, D.C. He has two children and was previously married to Christina Gillespie, a doctor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/12/playbook-birthday-ryan-lizza-240437|title=BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Ryan Lizza, Washington correspondent for The New Yorker|last=Lippman|first=Daniel|website=POLITICO|language=en|access-date=2019-07-13}}

In September 2022, Lizza became engaged to New York magazine correspondent Olivia Nuzzi.{{cite web | title=POLITICO Playbook: What's behind the latest Manchin drama | website=POLITICO | date=2022-09-23 | url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2022/09/23/whats-behind-the-latest-manchin-drama-00058534 | access-date=2023-03-06|last1=Daniels|first1=Eugene|last2=Lizza|first2=Ryan}} On September 20, 2024, he confirmed that they were no longer engaged. The reason for cancelling the engagement was reportedly Nuzzi's alleged online affair on the campaign trail with former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.{{cite web | title=Playbook PM: Playing small ball in the states | website=POLITICO | date=2024-09-20 | url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2024/09/20/playing-small-ball-in-the-states-00132333?3 | access-date=2024-09-20|last1=Okun|first1=Eli|last2=Lizza|first2=Ryan}} Due to these allegations, Lizza removed himself from all future coverage of Kennedy Jr.{{Cite web |date=20 September 2024 |title=Politico PLAYBOOK |website=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2024/09/20/playing-small-ball-in-the-states-00132333?nname=playbook-pm&nid=0000015a-dd3e-d536-a37b-dd7fd8af0000&nrid=90863ccf-df3c-481e-99a5-ee23a94fe141&nlid=964328}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/olivia-nuuzzi-ryan-lizza-rfk-affair-b2622257.html|title=Olivia Nuzzi accuses ex-fiance of orchestrating blackmail campaign after RFK Jr relationship revelations|date=October 2024 |publisher=independent}}