John McGee

Idaho GOPer, Once Charged With Grand Theft Auto, Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Scandal

Jillian Rayfield | February 23, 2012, 10:47AM

An Idaho state Senator, previously seen failing a breathalyzer test and getting arrested for a DUI, has announced his resignation amid allegations that he sexually harassed a female Senate attache.

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Islamophobia

Muslim Woman: School Said I Was A Terrorist In Retaliation For Sexual Harassment Complaint

Jillian Rayfield | January 19, 2012, 4:51PM

University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT

A Muslim woman is suing the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut for allegedly expelling her and telling the FBI that she was a terrorist, she says in retaliation for a sexual harassment complaint she made against a fellow student.

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Kenneth Kratz

Judge: Former DA Has Not Established That 'Sexting' Was Part Of His Job Description

Jillian Rayfield | December 14, 2011, 11:02AM

Calumet County, Wisconsin, District Attorney Kenneth Kratz

A federal judge will allow a lawsuit against former Wisconsin DA Kenneth Kratz, who is being sued for sexual harassment by a domestic abuse victim that he "sexted."

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Rev. Jesse Jackson

Gay Ex-Staffer Files Suit Against Rev. Jesse Jackson For Sexual Harassment, Discrimination

Jillian Rayfield | September 21, 2011, 12:08PM

Jesse Jackson

A former staffer for Rev. Jesse Jackson and his non-profit Rainbow PUSH Coalition alleges in a lawsuit that he was discriminated against because he is gay, allegedly instructed to bring women to Jackson's hotel rooms and sometimes sexually harassed by Jackson himself.

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Eric Massa

He's Baaaack. House Ethics Committee Votes To Continue Massa Case

Susan Crabtree | July 15, 2011, 2:54PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

When Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) left Congress amid a cloud of charges that he inappropriately touched and sexually harassed a male staffer, most of his Democratic colleagues hoped the issue would fade away -- or at least disappear from public view.

But the House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it has voted to continue an investigation it began last year.

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Anuradha Bhagwati

More Victims Want To Join Lawsuit Alleging Pentagon Ignored Sexual Harassment

Ryan J. Reilly | February 25, 2011, 9:15AM

Hundreds of people have contacted the law firm and military advocacy group associated with a federal lawsuit which accuses the Pentagon of not doing enough to prevent the rape and sexual harassment of members of the Armed Services.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook for the last week," Anuradha Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), told TPM in an interview this week. "I feel like it's the first time literally in military history where survivors have had a strong sense of institutional support -- and by institutional I mean a legitimate law firm and advocacy organization supporting the cause."

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Pentagon

Military Personnel Say Pentagon Ignores Sexual Assaults, Harassment (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | February 16, 2011, 11:57AM

Sec. of Defense Robert Gates

Veterans and active-duty service members filed a federal lawsuit this week alleging that the Pentagon has turned a blind eye to a hostile military culture that has resulted in sexual harassment and rapes.

The lawsuit, filed by civil litigator Susan Burke in Virginia, notes that there's been an increase in reports of sexual abuse in the military and that Pentagon leadership hasn't done enough about it.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Air Force May Boot Aviator Who Revealed He Is Gay To Defend False Rape Claim

Megan Carpentier | August 12, 2010, 5:17PM

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach

Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach has been fighting for the right to stay in the Air Force for more than two years following a false criminal report that led to his outing. Yesterday, following reports that the Secretary of the Air Force was about to order his discharge, his lawyers filed for a temporary restraining order to keep him in the military until the courts have their say, or the Obama Administration gets around to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell.

So, how did a decorated combat aviator with 19 years in the Air Force end up riding a desk and hoping just to make it to his pension (for which he'd be eligible next year) instead of flying missions in one of his country's wars -- despite much-heralded changes to the military's enforcement policies?

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Office of Compliance (OOC)

House Admin Agrees To Give Workers' Rights Office Email Access

Rachel Slajda | July 14, 2010, 11:26AM

Yesterday, we told you that the Congressional office charged with protecting Capitol employees issued a report claiming they couldn't even contact the same employees they are supposed to protect. Someone, the report said, had blocked them from getting staffers' email addresses.

The Office of Compliance report appears to have done the job of getting the office access to staffers -- somewhat. The office will now have access to the House email system, so it can send employees information about their rights when it comes to workplace safety and harassment. In an email obtained by TPMmuckraker, the Committee on House Administration announced that it would help the OOC get out information through the system.

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Sexual harassment

OOC Blocked From Surveying Hill Staffers On Sexual Harassment

Rachel Slajda | July 13, 2010, 2:12PM

In a report released today, the Office of Compliance -- a Congressional office charged with protecting the rights and safety of Hill employees -- said that it has been blocked from getting the work email addresses of Hill employees.

The OOC said it had wanted to send a survey in 2008 to the 30,000 people who work on Capitol Hill. The idea was to gauge whether they knew about their rights they have as employees when it comes to safety, conflict resolution, sexual harassment and the like.

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