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Sexual Harrassment Alleged In AG's Office & Condo
- Filed under: Ohio Government, Scandalous
- Date: Apr 8,2008
The Columbus Dispatch ran an article at about 3:30 am yesterday morning reporting serious sexual harassment allegations against a senior manager in the Office of Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann. Read the full article. Photo from 10TV Columbus.
The accused is Anthony Gutierrez, who works as the director of general services and supervises the section where the women filing the complaints work. He has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation. There are more factors that make this story exceptionally troubling. First, the worst thing about this story is the apparent efforts by the EEOC and Attorney General's office to sweep the complaints under the rug. It took the Dispatch article and not the complaints themselves to make Dann decide to place his buddy Gutierrez on paid leave. Second, one of the incidents took place at the shared apartment of Marc Dann, Leo Jennings (Dann's spokesman), and Anthony Gutierrez. The Dispatch reports today that part of the rent was paid for out of Dann's campaign account. Finally, the top law enforcement officer in the State of Ohio should be held to a higher standard.
Other Ohio liberal leaning bloggers have weighed in on the issue.
Glass City Jungle: "We all know I’m a Democrat but I do subscribe to the “if it’s wrong, it’s wrong” theory. So in addition to the sexual harassment claims, since it does not appear that’s where Utovich lived, it was the condo of Dann, Gutierrez and Jennings why was she there, wearing p.j.’s lying on the floor working on her laptop? The warning bells went off when I read that part. That’s not normal work attire, nor is it normal for people to be carrying around their p.j.’s with them."
Plunderbund: "Just to be safe, I’d say the AG needs to start getting rid of everyone from Youngstown - personal friends of not - just to avoid any more problems."
Buckeye State Blog: "And while these charges are awfully damning against Gutierrez, they have little impact on the integrity of the office. As long as this complaint is handled properly, it should do little to tarnish the Attorney General."
As readers of my personal website know, I have never been a Marc Dann fan. We have talked about, in no particular order: his car, his driver, his top fiscal officer being a fake CPA, his "top cop," questionable usage of office funds, the internship he gave to Stephanie Tubbs Jones's kid, swearing at reporters, his office emails, his lie about an Elliot Spitzer donation, and now this. It is possible I left something out as well.
Dann seems to have the attitude that he is untouchable and no one can bring him down. Dann rode into Columbus on the coattails of Strickland and was in the right place at the right time. There was nothing special about him or his campaign. Nothing that screamed "we need this guy as our Attorney General." I distinctly remember talking to my friend who worked for Petro in the AG Office the week before the 2006 elections. He said he didn't care anymore about any other races - that Dann had to be defeated because he would be a disaster. Well, he wasn't defeated and my friend was 100% right.
If what is alleged is true in the latest incident, he probably should go. I don't know if he will go voluntarily or Ted will run him over with the Sunshine Express. Ted might have to find a new law enforcement goon who will try and close all the video gambling in Ohio as he tries to make it a state operation. This could be the thing that finally pushes him out the door. Political Science 216 is now running the "Official Marc Dann Resignation Watch." Good stuff there as well about the possible cover up going on at the AG Office. At the same time, Dann is good for people like me, because you know he is going to constantly provide a stream of material, so I have mixed feelings on whether or not he should stay. I feel bad for Leo Jennings III, the spokesman for Dann. That has to be the toughest job in all of Ohio state government.
If I am an Ohio Democrat today, I just want Dann gone. The sooner the better so he is forgotten before 2010. Lucky for both BHO (sorry, again, I know I shouldn't use that "H") and HRC that neither got the coveted endorsement of Dann.
The Darke GOP blog also weighs in. And here.
13 Responses for "Sexual Harrassment Alleged In AG's Office & Condo"
It is probably true sex; money and power are the bedfellows of many politicians.
Imagine waking up with that creep next to you in his underwear.
Of the three liberal bloggers, it looks like you have two astute guys who are seeing the situation for what it is. And then you have one Marc Dann apologist - which is a dangerous job these days.
Dann has to have some responsibility for hiring and supervising Gutierrez (esp. considering that he's Dann's neighbor & has an unreal history of financial problems). But even putting that aside, why is some 28-year-old female employee running around in Dann's condo in her pajamas? It's possible that nothing untoward was happening, but attorneys have the ethical obligation to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Dann seems to be surrounded by nothing but impropriety.
[...] blogs in Ohio are on fire with this story. Check out Politics Ohio Dot Com for the commentary there. The comments on the Cleveland Plain Dealer's blog is enfuego. [...]
If this was just one incident, I am sure the decision makers high up in state govt. could just let it slide or push it under the rug. I would imagine that some in Columbus are getting tired of Dann and his act.
It appears that conclusions have already been made.
So…are these allegations….or not?
Sounds like Republicans have already arrived at a guilty verdict.
Not saying the guy isn't guilty….just saying.
The Reverend is correct. Allegations and not convictions. We've barely heard any details or charges. Absol utely not defending the man, but he is due his day in court. If he does have the previous problems that Ben wrote about, it does show rather poor judgement on Dann's choice of Gutierrez.
And don't we pay these guys enough to afford their own places?
PJ's at the condo? Doesn't sound like that would have the appearance of a higher standard.
Dann could help out the Democrats by endorsing McCain on his way back to Youngstown.
As a Democrat it isnt about this. We were elected to clean up the Mess of the Ben Keeler like Republicans and Dann isnt livng up to his end of it. He makes us all look bad.
Damn,
Writing these posts is HARD work. spent days thinking about what I wanted to say and spent way to much time condensing my ramblings into a length condusive to a blog. I am ready for a nap. My hat is off to both of you it so much easier to criticize the posts.
I said in my post "if what is alleged is true." I was more just going over all of Dann's missteps.
Hope the Dem attorneys are saving some of that special counsel work money. It still blows my mind how Ohio voters elected this clown over Montgomery.
Scary how many voters come to make up their minds before entering the voting booth.
Supposedly now the p.j. thing is being stated is not true, which means it's a he said she said thing at this point, but the bottom line is that married grown men should not be inviting women over, trying to get them drunk, enticing them with promises of pizza, job promotions, etc.
Since Dann live at that condo as well, he has a degree of responsibility beyond a normal boss at the workplace. He should have been more professional and demanded that those who worked for him and lived with him also be more professional as well.
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