A former potential staffer to Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has accused him of sexual harassment and committing a Area ethics violation, pronouncing Santos inappropriately touched him in his workplace and rescinded a task be offering when the person rebuffed him.
Derek Myers introduced Friday that he has filed lawsuits with U.S. Capitol Police and the Area ethics committee towards the scandal-plagued congressman after in brief running in Santos’ workplace final month beneath the name of “volunteer.”
Since his election final yr, Santos continues to stand separate federal, native and world investigations following revelations that he lied broadly about his background at the marketing campaign path.
Myers alleges that two days into beginning his position, which he mentioned he was once instructed could be a paid place, Santos requested him whilst they had been by myself in his workplace if he had a profile at the relationship app Grindr. He mentioned Santos then groped him whilst they had been sitting on a settee, with the congressman allegedly striking his hand on Myers’ leg and transferring it to his groin.
Myers mentioned Santos invited him to come back again to his space that evening, including that his husband was once out of the city. Myers mentioned he rebuffed the be offering, and that two days later, he was once known as into the congressman’s workplace and his task be offering was once withdrawn.
“I’m inquiring for an investigation into the sexual harassment of [Congressman] Santos, in addition to his violation of Area Ethics regulations on volunteering within the place of job by way of having team of workers offload paintings onto the volunteer with the promise of employment,” Myers mentioned.
Santos’ communications director referred inquiries to his legal professional, Joe Murray, who declined to remark. Tom Rust, the ethics committee’s leader recommend and team of workers director, additionally declined to remark to HuffPost on Monday. U.S. Capitol police didn’t reply to messages inquiring for affirmation concerning the police record’s submitting.
Tom Williams by way of Getty Pictures
Myers mentioned Santos’ workplace, in explaining its resolution to not rent him, cited his 2022 arrest for wiretapping whilst running because the editor-in-chief of an Ohio information site. (The case is ongoing, although journalism organizations have known as for the fee, a fourth-degree legal, to be dropped.)
Myers mentioned he was once instructed that his arrest, for allegedly illegally publishing court docket audio, may just create “a media firestorm and legal responsibility.” On the other hand, he argued that his arrest had already been disclosed and mentioned prior to he’d won his task be offering.
In a separate observation, launched previous to his harassment and ethics allegations, Myers mentioned that he requested Santos to rethink his resolution to not rent him. He additionally presented reward for the opposite staffers amid the scrutiny of Santos and his election marketing campaign, which Myers mentioned has left their boss “arguably distracted.”
Myers claims he secretly recorded his ultimate assembly with Santos, and provided Speaking Issues Memo with what he mentioned is the audio. Consistent with TPM, the recording features a second the place Santos admits to mendacity to one in all his staffers “like I lied to everybody else.”
Santos “feels horrible about mendacity, he feels horrible that he were given stuck,” Myers instructed TPM.
Want lend a hand? Discuss with RAINN’s Nationwide Sexual Attack On-line Hotline or the Nationwide Sexual Violence Useful resource Heart’s site.