When one of the founding members of the #MeToo advocacy group Time’s Up Healthcare learned of numerous sexual assault allegations against a popular doctor, she told one of the accusers that it was “never worth it” to report these matters.
Dr. Esther Choo was notified that popular “TikTok Doc” Dr. Jason Campbell, who rose to fame by posting hospital dance videos that went viral during the coronavirus pandemic, had sexually assaulted multiple women. Choo not only told one of the accusers it wasn’t “worth it” to report sexual harassment, she continued to interact with Campbell after the allegations were brought to her attention, including taking a photo together at a protest and continuing to promote his TikTok videos, the Washington Free Beacon reported. She also tweeted that he was one of her “friends with big followings and hearts.”
The allegations against Choo are found in a lawsuit brought against Campbell, Oregon Health & Science University where he worked, as well as Choo and numerous other OHSU employees. The lawsuit was filed by attorneys for Campbell’s accuser, referred to only as A.B.
In another text exchange included in the lawsuit, A.B. reached out to Choo regarding her tweet identifying Campbell as one of her “friends,” telling the Time’s Up leader that it looked like she was condoning sexual harassment. Choo responded, “You never told me about assault of you,” which A.B. says isn’t true, as she told Choo about her own sexual assault by Campbell and that of another woman.
Choo told A.B. that she “literally tagged him on one tweet as an emergency and have not ‘continually’ given him support.” A.B. replied, “okay,” and Choo added: “I don’t need policing by White women.”
Choo’s claims to only tagging Campbell in one tweet also aren’t true, since she posed for a photo with him and posted it on Twitter, tagging him in the process, as well as interacting with him on the social media platform.
“On June 12, 2020, Dr. Campbell challenged Dr. Choo to help him get over 50,000 views of one of his videos. In October 1, 2020, Dr. Choo publicly engaged Dr. Campbell in a Twitter fundraiser,” the lawsuit says.
A.B. alleges in the lawsuit that Campbell began sexually harassing her through text messages, including sending her a photo of his erection and sending her messages on social media that were “sexually charged.” At one point, A.B. claims, Campbell came up behind her in her office area and “pushed his body and his erection forcibly onto plaintiff’s backside, pushing her into the desk in front of her.” She later sent him a text message telling him: “Don’t EVER surprise me by getting in my physical space. I’ve knocked people out. It’s reflexive.” Campbell apologized, saying he “should’ve asked.”
The allegations against Choo and Time’s Up come after reports show the advocacy group, which claims to represent women who say they have been sexually assaulted or harassed, spent more on salaries than actually helping alleged victims. A report released in November found the organization raised $3.6 million in 2018 but spent just $312,001 on providing legal aid to accusers. Another $1.4 million was spent on salaries, The Daily Wire reported. The group’s 2019 financial report shows a similar breakdown, with $2.4 million spent on salaries and compensation with much, much less going to actual legal fees.