A former potential employee candidate for Representative George Santos is said to have filed a police report and an ethics complaint with the House alleging the freshman congressman made an unwanted sexual advance toward him during a private meeting in his office. After that he was denied employment there. Santos is the son of Brazilians and was elected to the United States Congress.
The individual, Derek Myers, alleges Santos on Jan. 25 “touched” his crotch before the New York congressman invited him into his home and told him her husband was out of town, according to a copy of the House ethics complaint. provided to CNN .
Myers says he declined the alleged advance and immediately left Santos’ office. Five days later, he says, Santos started questioning him about his previous work as a reporter. Myers alleges that his job offer was withdrawn on Feb. 1, even though he had started working there voluntarily.
A spokesman for Santos and a lawyer for the job candidate declined to comment on the allegations included in the complaint after repeated requests from the CNN since friday.
Myers recognized the CNN which has no supporting evidence, although it is illegal to file a false police report.
A CNN did not review the police report, which Myers says includes the same information that was provided to the House Ethics Committee. US Capitol Police declined to comment. The House Ethics Committee also declined to comment.
A spokeswoman for the senior Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, Representative Susan Wild, confirmed receipt of the same complaint but declined to comment further.
“There is no evidence to back it up. It will simply be his word against mine.”
Myers also alleges in the ethics complaint that he started working for Santos before he was formally registered as an employee and was assigned as a volunteer at the time the alleged harassment occurred.
He asks the ethics panel to investigate the settlement and questions its permissibility under House rules.
Myers arrived at Santos’ office from Ohio, where he had previously worked as a local reporter. He was charged with wiretapping last fall after posting audio recorded by a source in a courtroom.
The case is ongoing, but journalism advocacy groups have asked prosecutors to drop the charge. Santos cited the incident when he rescinded the job offer for Myers, who recorded the conversation and provided the recordings to the Talking Points Memo news website. The allegation of sexual harassment was not included in any material posted on the site.
A CNN has not independently verified the recording or its contents. Santos told the Semafor news agency before the recording was released that his office was in the process of hiring Myers when they discovered the wiretapping allegations against him. Santos told Semafor that he decided not to hire Myers after finding his responses “evasive”.
In the House ethics complaint, Myers says he was originally offered a job as a staff assistant on Jan. 23. As his paperwork was being finalized, Myers said he was volunteering. He is now asking the House ethics panel to investigate that settlement.
Two days after his job offer, Myers alleges that Santos engaged in the misconduct. On January 25, Santos asked him if he had a profile on New York City’s mobile dating app Grindr allegedly telling Myers that he had a profile on the same site.
Myers says the exchange took place in the office and told the CNN which may have been witnessed by another employee. Later that day, Myers alleges that he was in Santos’ office reviewing correspondence when the congressman asked him to sit on a couch next to him. At that point, Myers alleges, Santos put a hand on his left leg and invited him to karaoke that night. Upon Myers’ refusal, he alleged that Santos touched his inner thigh and “proceeded to touch my crotch,” according to the ethics complaint filed with the House.
At that point, Myers’ complaint reads, Santos invited him to his home that night. Myers said he turned down the advance, pushed Santos’ hand and left the office. Several days later, he said, his job offer was rescinded.
The charge comes amid a long list of political and legal problems facing the New York congressman. The Republican was called to step down by Democrats and some members of his own party, led by local Republican leaders, over false and fabricated allegations about his past, including his personal and family identity, work history and education.
Federal prosecutors are also investigating Santos’ finances in connection with questions about his federal campaign records.
Source: CNN Brasil
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