Filed under: News, Politics, Race and Civil Rights
United States Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Democrat from Florida, has been accused of sexual harassment.
Winsome Packer claims the harassment took place between 2008 and 2010 when Hastings co-chaired the Helsinki Commission, an independent U.S. government agency in Europe.
Packer filed the suit against Hastings and the commission. According to the suit, Packer was subjected to "unwelcome sexual advances," "unwelcome touching" and retaliation.
When she complained, Packer says she was forced to endure more harassment and then threatened with termination.
"Mr. Hastings' intention was crystal clear: he was sexually attracted to Ms. Packer, wanted a sexual relationship with her, and would help progress her career if she acquiesced to his sexual advances," the complaint reads.
Hastings allegedly made Packer extremely uncomfortable with a litany of sexual advances. According to the suit, Hastings asked to stay in her apartment, hugged her in a sexually intimidating way, invited her multiple times to his hotel room and made sexual comments to Packer, at one point allegedly asking in public: "What kind of underwear are you wearing?"
Hastings, a senior member of the House Rules Committee, Ranking Democratic Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, and Democratic Chairman of the Florida Delegation emphatically denied the charges in a statement.
"I have never sexually harassed anyone. In fact, I am insulted that these ludicrous allegations are being made against me. When all the facts are known in this case, the prevailing sentiment will be, 'How bizarre!'" Hasting wrote. "I will win this lawsuit. That is a certainty. In a race with a lie, the truth always wins. And when the truth comes to light and the personal agendas of my accusers are exposed, I will be vindicated."
Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that is a party to the suit thinks otherwise.
"The allegations against Alcee Hastings as detailed in this complaint are outrageous. Is Congress so far gone that its members think they can get away with the most base sexual harassment of staff! For two years Hastings subjected Ms. Packer to a never-ending barrage of unwanted sexual advances. And when Ms. Packer tried, time and again, to put a stop to it, he resorted to threats and intimidation to force her compliance," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
"Even after Hastings' behavior caused Ms. Packer's physical collapse, he would not relent. We look forward to holding Alcee Hastings and the other defendants accountable for their unlawful behavior in court," he added.
It's interesting that Judicial Watch is also a party to the suit. They announced the suit at their headquarters this morning and have said that Hastings and other superiors used the fact that she was a Republican working for a Democratically controlled commission to intimidate her.
Sexual harassment is a serious charge. Men and women have the right to earn a living without being sexually harassed.
And Hastings is no angel. He was impeached as a federal judge for bribery and perjury by the House and removed from office by the Senate, only the sixth judge in history to suffer that fate.
However, the involvement of this conservative watchdog group lends cause for concern. The inclusion of politics and political standings in these charges only complicates issues. I hope a fair and impartial hearing of this case brings the facts to light.