Warren hits Bloomberg over #MeToo answer: Being ‘nice to some women’ just ‘doesn’t cut it’

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday attacked former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg over his history of using nondisclosure agreements to privately settle complaints with former employees.

Bloomberg was pressed at the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas over several lawsuits that have accused him of making crude remarks and creating an uncomfortable workplace environment for women in the 1990s, with three cases against his company still active.

Many former employees have entered into nondisclosure agreements with Bloomberg, which prevent them from speaking publicly about what transpired.

“I have no tolerance for the kind of behavior that the Me Too movement has exposed,” Bloomberg began when asked about allegations within his company.

At one point, Bloomberg played down the complaints, saying they involved people who “maybe didn’t like a joke I told.”

Bloomberg went on to defend his record as a businessman, saying his company has won awards for being a good workplace.

“I hope you’ve heard what his defense was. ‘I’ve been nice to some women,’ ” Warren said, prompting an eye roll from Bloomberg.

That Bloomberg eyeroll pic.twitter.com/ODQaugDSOG

— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) February 20, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden also joined in, pushing Bloomberg to release people from their nondisclosure agreements.

Bloomberg later said those who have entered agreements with him did so consensually, and deserve to have their privacy respected.