Vanity Fair left surprised by latest romantic allegations against scandal-plagued journalist Olivia Nuzzi

Vanity Fair admitted on Friday it was “taken by surprise” last week when newly hired West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi was accused by her former fiancé of having a romantic relationship with former South Carolina Gov. and Congressman Mark Sanford, whom she covered at a previous publication. 

The high-profile journalist parted ways with New York Magazine last year after reports that she had an intimate relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom she covered for the publication. The scandal led to the end of Nuzzi’s engagement to Politico’s chief Washington correspondent and Playbook co-author at the time, Ryan Lizza, who has since left the outlet.

Lizza last week claimed he discovered during the 2020 election cycle that Nuzzi had been in a romantic relationship with Sanford. It was the second time Nuzzi, who was appointed to her new role by Vanity Fair editorial director Mark Guiducci this summer, has been accused of crossing the lines of journalism ethics. 

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Vanity Fair admitted on Friday it was “taken by surprise” when new allegations about scandal-plagued journalist Olivia Nuzzi popped up. (Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

“We were taken by surprise, and we are looking at all the facts,” a Vanity Fair spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

Nuzzi has penned a book due for release next week, “American Canto,” about the alleged digital romance, without explicitly naming Kennedy. She has not commented on the Sanford allegations. 

Nuzzi’s lawyer, Ari Wilkenfeld, told The New York Times that the book “discusses the only instance in her long career as a journalist in which she had an improper relationship with someone she was covering.”

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Wilkenfeld did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. 

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, seen here in 2019. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Fox News Digital reached out to Nuzzi and Sanford for comment regarding Lizza’s claim but did not immediately hear back. New York Magazine has declined comment. 

Meanwhile, Lizza dropped another Substack entry detailing additional claims about Nuzzi over the weekend that included lurid details about alleged digital messages between her and Kennedy. 

A Kennedy spokesperson previously denied any sort of physical relationship had occurred and said he had only met Nuzzi once. Nuzzi has maintained that she never had a physical relationship with him but did engage in “personal” communications. Kennedy is married to actress Cheryl Hines.

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Ryan Lizza and his ex-fiancée Olivia Nuzzi. ( Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Nuclear Now)

The Status media newsletter reported on Sunday night that some Vanity Fair staffers “already feel that she hasn’t exactly pulled her own weight as anticipated” and has failed to complete an editing assignment. 

Guiducci became the outlet’s global editorial director in June, and hiring Nuzzi is among his highest-profile decisions to date. 

High-powered communications consultant Risa Heller, who is representing Nuzzi, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vanity Fair did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

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