LAPD captain’s allegiances probed in tipoff to CBS exec

LOS ANGELES — As the former captain in charge of the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, Cory Palka was a star himself. Weeks after the #MeToo movement erupted with sex abuse allegations against film mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017, Phyllis Golden-Gottlieb reported to police in the Hollywood Division that she had been sexually assaulted by Moonves in 1986 and 1988 when they worked together at Lorimar Productions, the studio behind “Dallas” and “Knots Landing.” A law enforcement official briefed on the matter confirmed that Golden-Gottlieb, who died this summer, was the woman involved in the leak by Palka. Nearly a year earlier, the ink was just drying on her police report — which was marked “confidential” in three places — when Palka tipped off CBS, the report said. CBS immediately went into damage control mode, with an executive alerting a member of the news staff to stay close to the phone because they “have a situation.” He told another staffer not to miss any messages and added: “I wouldn’t bother you if this wasn’t serious.” When the allegations ultimately became public, Palka sent a note to a CBS contact saying, “We worked so hard to try to avoid this day.” He sent Moonves a note saying he was sorry and, “I will always stand with, by and pledge my allegiance to you.” From 2008 to 2014, Palka had provided private security for Moonves at the Grammy Awards, which CBS produced. The Hollywood Chamber Community Foundation’s honored him in 2019 as one of the “Heroes of Hollywood.” “Celebrity always equates to power and influence,” said attorney Debra Katz, who specializes in sexual-harassment law.