Documents show that the United States Treasury used $220,000 of tax payer money to settle a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment committed by Florida Democrat Alcee Hastings against one of his staffers, reports Roll Call.
Winsome Packer, a former staff member of a congressional commission that promotes international human rights, said in documents that the congressman touched her, made unwanted sexual advances, and threatened her job. At the time, Hastings was the chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, where Packer worked.Hastings has called Packer’s charges “ludicrous” and in documents said he never sexually harassed her.“Until this evening, I had not seen the settlement agreement between the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and Ms. Packer,” the congressman said in a statement Friday night. “This matter was handled solely by the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment. At no time was I consulted, nor did I know until after the fact that such a settlement was made.”Hastings said that the lawsuit that Packer filed against him and an investigation by the House Ethics Committee were ultimately dismissed.“I am outraged that any taxpayer dollars were needlessly paid to Ms. Packer,” he said.
It is worth noting that Rep. Alcee Hastings was indicted by a grand jury in 1981 for accepting bribes as a Federal Judge in exchange for a shorter sentencing for two-mob convicted felons, according to senate.gov.
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