Ten men and women say they either experienced or witnessed sexual harassment by the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the nation’s largest federal government workers’ union, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.
AFGE President J. David Cox has denied the allegations but said that he will take a leave of absence while the union investigates them, according to to the organization.
Brett Copeland told the publication that in April 2017, when he had recently become Cox’s communications director, Cox told him he loved him, invited him up to his hotel room for a drink and stuck his tongue in Copeland’s ear while leaning in for a hug.
{mosads}“It was embarrassing, and it was disgusting, and it was kind of unbelievable that it happened,” Copeland told the publication. Rocky Kabir, Cox’s secretary, said he witnessed the hug from afar but was not close enough to confirm or deny the use of tongue.
Other current and former employees of the union told the publication they witnessed Cox making inappropriate comments about employees’ bodies, asking a secretary to shower with him and implying he was sexually aroused.
The organization said it was opening an investigation and would “swiftly take” action.
“These allegations, if true, are utterly contrary to AFGE’s mission and values,” the union said in a statement, adding that “in light of the extent and seriousness of these allegations, AFGE has opened an investigation into each of them and will swiftly take whatever action may be appropriate upon that investigation’s completion.”
Cox told Bloomberg in a statement it was “never my intention” to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
“It is my life’s work to lift up my sisters and brothers in the workplace and I am truly sorry if I ever made anyone feel uncomfortable by my words or actions,” Cox said in the statement. “That was never my intention.”
The union said Cox both ordered the probe and recused himself from it in response to an inquiry from Bloomberg. “If necessary, the committee will refer the matter for investigation by a third party,” AFGE said, according to the publication.