Embassy abruptly scraps event to honor Trump-defending reporter accused of sex harassment

A foreign embassy has abruptly canceled an event to honor a journalist accused of sexual harassment who has defended racist attacks made by President Donald Trump. The honoree was Mark Halperin — political commentator and host of the 2Way podcast "The Morning Meeting." The Irish Embassy had planned a July 15 reception to celebrate Halperin and his co-hosts, conservative radio host Larry O'Connor and Democratic commentator Kevin Walling, as the show's permanent anchors. Multiple invitees urged Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason and embassy staff to cancel the event, citing Halperin's history, according to two people with direct knowledge of the event, Politico reported . The embassy then emailed attendees: "Regrettably due to unforeseen circumstances, this event is postponed and will not take place on 15 July as previously advised." O'Connor and an Irish Embassy spokesperson declined to comment. Halperin and Walling didn't respond to requests for comment. On the June 3, 2016, edition of Bloomberg's With All Due Respect , Halperin defended Trump's attacks on Indiana-born federal judge Gonzalo Curiel — declaring the assault " not racial. " "Mexico isn't a race," he said . The New Republic's Alex Shephard wrote that Halperin had "wanted to carry Donald Trump's bags for years." The accusations of sexual harassment against Halperin date to his time as political director at ABC News. "The first meeting I ever had with him was in his office and he just came up from behind — I was sitting in a chair from across his desk — and he came up behind me and he pressed his body on mine, his penis, on my shoulder," one woman told CNN . By the time CNN was done reporting , a dozen women had come forward. "I did pursue relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me," he said , acknowledging the behavior while stopping short of a full apology. "I now understand from these accounts that my behavior was inappropriate and caused others pain." NBC News, MS NOW, Showtime and HBO all cut ties with Halperin after the accusations broke in 2017. No new date for the embassy event has been announced, Politico reported .