WASHINGTON — We have a brand new reaction from lawmakers after a confidential report on sexual harassment in the D.C. government was leaked. The 115-page document outlines damning new information about ex-Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio and a pattern of sexual harassment.
Tuesday, Councilmember Brianne Nadeau reacted to the confidential report into sexual harassment by ex-Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio leaked to the media. The internal investigation was shared before the victims themselves got a chance to read the review.
“It is shameful,” said Nadeau. “I can only imagine how it must make them feel.”
In fact, attorneys representing the victims said someone in power likely leaked the report, calling it "outrageous and insulting." Their statement continues with:
"We are profoundly disappointed and angry that more than a year after our clients bravely decided to come forward, the D.C. Government has still not learned how to treat survivors. The behavior and the secrecy around the release of the Inspector General Report is disgusting.”
“It wasn't particularly surprising, given what we already knew, disappointing but not surprising,” said the Councilmember.
Nadeau said the 115-page independent review, conducted by DC law firm Arnold & Porter and supervised by the Office of the Inspector General, includes new information. Last June, the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel found then 44-year-old Falcicchio sexually harassed a woman on his staff, exposed himself, and sent countless explicit videos to her.
“We want to get this report out as quickly as possible, I think the public deserves to see the majority of it, want to make sure it's done in a way that does not do any further harm to the women that have already been harmed by our government,” Nadeau explained the Council’s General Counsel is currently reviewing the report.
The report includes what could have been in place to prevent Falcicchio's harassment and offers insight into what policies the Council can implement to prevent further abuses of power.
Nadeau will now update a bill before the council to help protect employees. She said her bill will make law elements of the Mayor's 2023 executive order banning sexual relationships between supervisors and their employees and requiring increased training.
The bill will also require an independent investigation if anyone in the executive office is accused of misconduct.
“The legislation actually requires that an independent investigation happens whenever somebody in the Mayor's cabinet or anyone appointed by the Mayor is accused of sexual harassment, that assurance that somebody who's independent will be doing the investigation is key," Nadeau explained, "We focused also on prevention. So, ensuring that there's annual training, there is a tip line so people can report anonymously what they're seeing. There are provisions for if the harasser is a contractor or a lobbyist, someone who is not employed by the District of Columbia, how is that handled in order to protect our staff."
Nadeau said the council is committed to moving forward but recognizes the impact of this troubled chapter in the D.C. Government.
“John Falcicchio is gone from our government. And that is the number one thing that had to happen and happened almost immediately. And that's the good news. But there are still people who are dealing with the aftermath of his actions, young people who came to our government to build their careers, young women, whose careers may not recover the same way his does. And that's the image that we will all have to work together to undo.”