State Investigates Sex Harassment Claims Against Manhattan Assemblyman

[hrmjustin]

NY1News

The state's ethics commission has launched an investigation into sexual harassment allegations against State Assemblyman Micah Kellner, which could spell trouble for the assembly, which is still feeling the fallout from a previous scandal.

NY1 has confirmed the ethics commission, known as JCOPE, is investigating charges against the Manhattan politician.

Kellner, who represents Manhattan's East Side, is accused of harassing two employees between 2009 and 2011.

The first was a female staffer who complained about unwanted online communications from Kellner to her supervisor at the time, Eliyanna Kaiser. Those charges were then brought to the office of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, but no further action was taken.

Read more at http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/186866/state-investigates-sex-harassment-claims-against-manhattan-assemblyman

[Common Sense Party]

1. WTF is going on in New York?

I know it doesn't just happen there...but, come on! This is getting tiresome.

[hrmjustin]

2. We don't have competetive elections here.

[Common Sense Party]

3. Just competitive erections.

[hrmjustin]

7. LOL!

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. Believe me, you have no idea. It gets way worse:

http://www.villagevoice.com/2013-07-17/news/all-the-queens-men/full/

I say let's invite George III back. We had better representation and lower taxes.

[hrmjustin]

8. The whole redistricting thing needs to be done by judges.

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. The link to NY 1 News is Always Murder.

Does everyone have this problem? I get to the second paragraph ( Frankly I'm curious to know the gender of the 2nd complainant. Mr. Kellner is one of 5 NYS legislators who identifies as lgbt ..... and I'm pretty sure the only "b&quot . and as soon as I start tracking, it "whites out" again.

Somewhere it says: this is the "enhanced version" of the website. Is there a way to select "unenhanced?"

Anyway... perhaps you can terminate the suspense for me. Is the second alleged harassment victim male or female?

[hrmjustin]

6. I never have issues with the site.

This is the rest of the story

Kaiser has confirmed she has received a subpoena from JCOPE.

NY1 has also learned that Kellner allegedly harassed a male employee in his office.

According to people familiar with that situation, Kellner made repeated comments to the male employee about his appearance and about his sex life. In one instance, allegedly, he physically leaned on the employee and told him he had "beautiful hands."

The employee then complained to the Assembly Ethics committee which also took no action. After the employee made that complaint, Kellner allegedly created a hostile work environment forcing the male employee to leave.

Insiders say this could spell trouble for Speaker Silver who was widely criticized for failing to properly investigate sexual harassment charges against Brooklyn Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

JCOPE did an exhaustive report on that case, which led to Lopez's resignation from the State Assembly.

Albany insiders say JCOPE commissioners are furious that they were not given the information about Kellner during the Lopez probe this year.

Silver says he was not informed about the allegations against Kellner and has since fired Attorney Bill Collins for allegedly failing to tell him about it.

Kellner and Lopez are both currently running for City Council.