Florida Democratic Party chair apologizes after 6 women complain of 'demeaning' behavior

[Baitball Blogger]

TALLAHASSEE — Six former Florida Democratic Party staffers and consultants say that current party Chairman Stephen Bittel has created an unprofessional workplace environment for women that includes persistent inappropriate comments, leering at young women and even inviting them on his private jet.

The women, who were reached independently by POLITICO and insisted on anonymity out of fear for their jobs, said Bittel never inappropriately touched or threatened them. But he made them feel so uneasy that they didn’t want to be alone with him due to his body language, suggestive remarks and even the breast-shaped stress squeeze-ball he has been known to keep on his desk.

Depending on the circumstance and the person discussing Bittel, they said he would make references about women cooking dinner, showing their breasts, their age, whether they wanted to ride on his plane, come to his hotel room or if they thought he was attractive.

“There was a lot of boob stuff in his office,” said a woman who was a fundraiser years ago and had to interact with him. “I was told by other women not to go into his bathroom. I was warned.”

https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2017/11/16/florida-democratic-party-chair-apologizes-after-6-women-complain-of-demeaning-behavior-118364

[marble falls]

1. No excuse. I'm glad he had the good sense to leave quickly and quietly without any whiney ....

self-serving explanations.

I worked for a building supply firm in Austin and before my appointments showed up ( a lot of women architects in Austin) I had to go through the office and shut down inappropriate screen savers and content. It was a pain but necessary. One year to get our Christmas bonus we had to show up at a "Gentlemen's" club. The most uncomfortable steak I ever ate and as my bonus was worth several thousand dollars I had no real choice. I did cause a scene when I refused a lap dance and was fired early February.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. That must have been some time ago. Lap dances were prohibited in

Central Florida sometime in the late eighties to early nineties, weren't they?

But, I do know what you mean. My first job was with a company which had a floor full of working women, managed by mostly male managers. Whenever a big wig from home office came down to inspect our branch, the boys would take him out to the Orlando night scene - which at that time, meant strip joint.

The next morning, it was the women working behind the desks, while the men stumbled out of the elevators from a night of drinking. Not all the men. There were some good people on that floor. But I understood what they were doing. They were corrupting the VPs from home office so they would go easy on us for the reviews. It was an era where anorexia and branch closings were just beginning.

As a woman, I definitely have a story or two to tell about sexual harassment. Just the mean office gossip from the men that was meant to demean you.

[marble falls]

3. It was for Christmas 2001, but there's still lapdancing, I understand, here in Austin....

my boss told me to take my architects to jiggle shops. I told him architects don't want to go. He said, "Yes they do." I told him well then, I didn't want to go. He let me take them to the Round Rock baseball - the Express - and we'd go have a beer and BBQ.

They didn't like it because I ate salads at business lunches and after one drink after work I drank ginger ale. I'm no prude but there's just no pleasure in being snockered and pissing off my wife and I just never got the big deal about naked chicks dancing. I told him I didn't need to pay for my abuse, I could get rejected by a better class of women for free.

A lot men treat women like crap and I don't want to be identified with them. I sleep fine at night and I think I might be doing the right things. I know I have the same wife and all those guys including my ex-boss are at least one or two wives ahead of me.

Baitball? You must fish for catfish.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Like I said, there were good men on the floor and I suspect you would have been one of them.

Baitball is a school of fish that is targeted by predators. The fish think there is safety in numbers, but larger fish pick them off from the bottom, while seagulls get the ones that escape by surfacing.

It's my metaphor for life in Florida. I am the blogger for the baitball.

[marble falls]

5. What a spooky photograph. I can see the attraction to the phenomenon.

[hay rick]

6. I witnessed a baitball from a bridge in New Jersey.

The school of baitfish was being attacked by blues. The blues would dive in and grab a fish and the whole ball would quiver and then reform. And then it would happen again and again. For the predators it was about as challenging as picking an apple off a tree. I supposed that the opportunity to breed as a survivor in the school trumped the instinct to flee and risk surviving as an isolated individual without reproductive options.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Deep ocean baitballs are slaughtered.

The gulls and sharks work with deadly efficiency. I saw one video where the baitball was completely wiped out.

There was a DUer sho sent me a video that recorded a strange event. There was a seal that came out of no where to protect the baitball. Went after the sharks.

That too explains our situation in Florida. The enemy of our enemies are not always our friends.