Rep. Alcee Hastings avoids ethic panel investigation for now
The top Republican and top Democrat on the House Committee on Ethics announced today that the panel will not launch an immediate investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) towards a former employee.
The independent Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) had recommended that the House panel investigate the allegations made by Winsome Packer that Hastings sexually harassed her by making lewd comments to her, by hugging her in inappropriate ways in public and by asking to stay with her on foreign business trips while she was employed at United States Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and Hastings was co-chair of the panel.
Packer has also filed a federal civil lawsuit against Hastings, the commission and Fred Turner. Turner, a former longtime Hastings aide, was Chief of Staff of the commission from 2007-2011. Packer says Turner retaliated against her after reporting the sexual harassment by giving some of her duties to other staffers.
The Ethics Committee released the OCE report on the Hastings matter which included interviews with both Packer and Hastings. Key witnesses to many of the alleged events refused to be interviewed, however, including Fred Turner. That is one reason the OCE recommended House Ethics investigate since they could get the full story, and force cooperation, by using the committee's subpoena power.
Packer told the OCE investigators that between 2007 and 2010, Hastings made a number of suggestive comments to her. In one instance, Hastings and employees were near a bar at the Marriott Hotel in Vienna, Austria with staffers and he brought up the issue of underwear to the group saying he did not understand how female members of Congress are able to wear the same pair for 16 hours at a time. Ms. Packer told investigators that he then asked her about her underwear wearing habits.
Packer also told investigators that Hastings once told her he did not sleep well, even after sex. And that Hastings had the expectation that he could stay at her place in Vienna when he visited. She also accused Hastings of hugging her inappropriately. She said when she reported the harassment to Fred Turner, Turner did little to stop it.
In his interview with the OCE investigator, Hastings denied the allegations of sexual misconduct though he admitted saying he did not sleep well after sex. Hastings told investigators he's shared that personal information with numerous people. He also admitted to discussing women's underwear near the hotel bar in Vienna, but said he did not ask Ms. Packer about her own underwear and that the conversation was taken out of context.
OCE investigators uncovered an email written by Ms. Packer to Fred Turner in 2007 where she discussed Hastings and told Turner "I have had a crush on him since I first met him." They also found that Packer donated $1000 to Hastings' campaign though he eventually returned the donation since staff cannot donate to their bosses. Packer was also asked about gifts she purchased for Hastings over the years including a shirt. She told investigators that she felt pressured to give gifts since she would not give in to the sexual advances.
The House General Counsel also looked into the matter to make a recommendation to the Justice Department as to whether to provide representation for Rep. Hastings. As did the Office of House Employment Counsel. Both found no evidence backing up Ms. Packer's claims of sexual harassment. The House General Counsel raised the possibility that Packer was trying to promote her book that examines racial tensions on between African Americans and black immigrants. Hastings is an African American and Packer is a black immigrant from Jamaica.
While the House Committee on Ethics will not investigate the matter at this time, chairman Jo Bonner, an Alabama Republican, and ranking member Linda Sanchez, a California Democrat, issued a statement today saying that they are reviewing the matter. So an investigation in the future is not out of the question.