Michael Erow
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« on: May 02, 2008, 10:47:48 am » |
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Friday, May 2, 2008 7:03 AM Updated: Friday, May 2, 2008 11:31 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two top aides to Attorney General Marc Dann were fired and a third resigned Friday following an internal investigation into sexual harassment claims made by two female staffers. Anthony Gutierrez, general services director, and Leo Jennings III, director of communications, were both terminated as a result of the investigation, said First Assistant Attorney General Tom Winters. WEB EXTRA: Inside Sexual Harassment Investigation Winters said Ed Simpson, who served as chief of policy and administration, offered his resignation on Thursday night, 10TV News reported. The findings against the aides came after a month of turmoil and speculation at the office of Ohio's top law enforcer after harassment allegations by the two women were made public. Last month, Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout filed formal complaints against Gutierrez, claiming that he pressured them to have sex with him and made several sexually charged comments Stankoski, 26, also said that after a night of drinking with Gutierrez, she passed out in the bedroom of his Dublin condominium and awakened next to him with her pants unbuttoned, 10TV's Patrick Bell reported. At one point, Gutierrez, Dann and Jennings shared the condo, which was paid for by Dann's campaign fund, 10TV News reported. Gutierrez and Jennings were both placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the internal investigation. The investigation found that Gutierrez violated the office's sexual harassment policy in his treatment of two women he supervised. The investigation said Dann showed poor judgment in having Stankoski over to the apartment for drinks and pizza, and said arrangements should have been made to take her home when it was apparent she was intoxicated. The investigation recommended that Simpson, should be "disciplined" because he violated equal employment opportunity and professional conduct standards by failing to respond adequately to the sexual harassment complaints, the Dispatch reported. Cindy Stankoski, 26, is one of two women who filed a sexual harassment complaint. According to the complaint, she awakened and found her pants undone and Anthony Gutierrez -- her boss as director of general services and Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann's friend and neighbor -- next to her in his underwear. Gutierrez, 50, who is paid $87,500 a year, was placed on paid leave April 7. Vanessa Stout, 26, said in her complaint that Gutierrez made comments like "you owe me" for getting her hired -- calling him a "pervert." Stout claimed she could feel Gutierrez looking at her. Communication Director Leo Jennings was put on paid leave from his $102,000 job on April 14 when Dann said information regarding his conduct in the investigation became known. Dann shared his Dublin condominium with Gutierrez and Jennings. He said he won't resign and is following internal standards on sexual harassment complaints and doing an investigation led by his office as the first step.
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