One other man who labored for state Lawyer Common Letitia James was quietly bounced for allegedly harassing ladies within the workplace, The Submit has discovered.
Enny Pichardo, a former deputy within the AG’s press workplace, was compelled to resign beneath the specter of termination in 2019 after being discovered to have inappropriately touched feminine staffers and commented on their our bodies within the Manhattan workplace, sources conversant in his case stated.
“He was an issue,” stated a supply conversant in the probe that led to Pichardo’s termination.
Pichardo was seen inappropriately touching ladies on the face “and commenting on ladies’s legs and buttocks,” the supply stated.
A second supply acquainted the case additionally stated Pichardo was accused of touching a number of feminine staff whereas working within the workplace.
“He would speak about intercourse out loud within the workplace,” the supply stated.
The sources stated Pichardo was warned about his habits, however continued to behave inappropriately till he was compelled out.
Pichardo additionally violated a directive to not speak to suspected accusers when the AG’s workplace performed a sexual harassment probe of his actions and meddled as a substitute, the sources stated.
“It was completely inappropriate habits,” a supply stated.
The lawyer normal’s workplace confirmed that Pichardo resigned “in lieu of termination.”
“An EEO [Equal Employment Opportunity] investigation was launched into Mr. Pichardo following allegations of misconduct. Legally, we can't touch upon the specifics of these allegations,” James’ workplace stated in a press release.
The assertion cited federal and state EEO confidential legal guidelines that barred it from discussing the main points of Picardo’s case.
However the assertion did say, “Mr. Pichardo didn't observe direct orders associated to the investigation. Because of these failures, in lieu of termination, he resigned and was faraway from the workplace instantly.”
“Mr. Pichardo was employed by OAG for lower than six months, from June 2019 to November 2019. … As soon as Mr. Pichardo was separated from the workplace, OAG had no additional involvement in his future employment.”
Pichardo, in a Submit interview Monday night time, emphasised that he wasn’t fired.
“I resigned. I used to be the one who resigned,” he stated.
“I by no means touched a f–king lady. F–ok the New York Submit.”
The revelation comes after AG James was accused of hiding a sexual harassment probe involving longtime chief of workers Ibrahim Khan in the course of the remaining weeks of her re-election marketing campaign.
After the election it was revealed that Khan introduced his resignation of Nov. 22 — efficient Dec. 31 — earlier than a unbiased probe by a personal regulation agency requested by James substantiated harassment complaints made in opposition to the chief of workers involving former staffers.
After leaving the AG’s workplace, Pichardo labored briefly for Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
Bowman’s workplace confirmed Pichardo was employed with the congressman from Jan. 1 to Jan. 28 of this yr. His workplace declined additional remark.
Pichardo, on his LinkedIn web page, stated he now works as an “unbiased journalist” with EnNYConMás, which seems on YouTube and different social media platforms.
James’ commissioned the unbiased probe that concluded that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo had engaged in sexual misconduct in opposition to quite a few ladies, forcing his resignation. Cuomo insisted he did nothing fallacious regardless of his departure beneath the menace of impeachment that additionally targeted different scandals involving his dealing with of the COVID-19 outbreak and $5 million pandemic guide deal, and has accused James of moral violations.
The lawyer normal has come beneath withering criticism and scrutiny given the sexual harassment bombshell involving Khan, her former chief of workers, which was stored quiet in the course of the remaining weeks of the election marketing campaign.
A former aide who accused Khan of harassment blasted AG James’ workplace for mishandling the general public rationalization of the case.
“My problem has by no means been with Lawyer Common Letitia James or how the investigation was dealt with. My allegations have been shortly addressed, and an unbiased investigation substantiated my claims,” Sophia Quintanar stated in a press release to The Submit.
“I took problem with the unclear nature of the communications that adopted the conclusion of the investigation.”
Quintanar instructed The Occasions final week, ““I discover it simply appalling to see how the workplace dealt with this publicly.”
However James defended her dealing with of the Khan case as by the guide, and emphasised the distinction with the Cuomo harassment probe.
She stated she she acquired a public referral from Cuomo to research the accusations in opposition to the ex-governor and beneath state regulation the outcomes of that investigation have been to made public.
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