NBC News has terminated its contract with Mark Halperin, the political analyst who regularly appeared on shows including MSNBC's Morning Joe. The termination includes Halperin's work with MSNBC, a network spokesman said.

Halperin's severed ties with the network come after at least five women accused the veteran journalist of sexual harassment last week in a CNN report.

News of Halperin's termination surfaced Monday just before one of his accusers, Eleanor McManus, appeared on NBC's Megyn Kelly Today, as the Los Angeles Times noted.

Halperin took leave from his work with NBC and MSNBC after the initial report of allegations published last week.

On Thursday, Penguin Press announced it would cancel plans for a book from Halperin and his longtime collaborator John Heilemann on the 2016 election. An HBO project based on that book was canceled, too.

McManus, a former CNN producer, told Today she came forward about her encounter with Halperin in order to encourage others to not stay silent.

"There are women that this happened to who did not pursue their career in journalism because of this incident," she said, later adding that "it's so important for women to understand today that it's not their fault."

The women in CNN's report accused Halperin of sexually harassing them while he worked at ABC News, where he served as political director in the late 1990s and much of the 2000s.

Four of the five women were ABC employees at the time of the incidents. All shared their accusations under anonymity, citing Halperin's influence in politics and media.



Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner