Lawmaker wants sexual harassment case dropped
Congressman Hastings asked a court to throw out claims for sexual harassment and retaliation
Washington: Congressman Alcee Hastings asked a court on Saturday to throw out claims that he subjected a former employee to sexual harassment and retaliation when he was co-chairman of an independent US agency.
The Florida Democrat said the case should be handled according to congressionally-approved administrative and judicial remedies — and not the US District Court in Washington, where the plaintiff, Winsome Packer, lodged her complaint.
Packer says Hastings asked several times to stay at her apartment or to get her to visit his hotel room in Vienna, Austria, when she worked as staff representative and he was co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission.
Accusations
She also said Hastings asked her what kind of underwear she was wearing and alleged that much of the harassment occurred when he was in Europe on business for the commission, which advises on US policy about security, human rights and other issues in Europe.
Hastings' 42-page filing steers largely clear of the substance of Packer's claims.
But in a footnote, Hastings "unequivocally" denied the accusations and said Packer's lawsuit was aimed at drumming up sales of a novel she has written about intrigue and race in Washington politics. It also accuses a conservative group called Judicial Watch of representing Packer as part of a series of attempts to attack his credibility.
Packer worked for the commission in Vienna from 2008-2010.
