Page 13 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 3 april 2018

Esty won’t seek re-election amid harassment queries

By SUSAN HAIGH Law School in 1985. She is a urge Esty to step down.
Associated Press mother of three and has of- He said several points led
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — ten spoken about her time him to call for Esty’s resig-
U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty an- at PTA meetings and her nation, including her reluc-
nounced on Monday she children’s soccer matches tance to speak out publicly
will not seek re-election this and hockey games. about the situation and us-
year amid calls for her resig- Esty won re-election in 2014 ing taxpayer money to pay
nation over her handling of and 2016. While Connecti- her former chief of staff
the firing of a former chief cut’s congressional delega- about $5,000 in severance.
of staff accused of harass- tion is all Democrats, Esty’s Staffers said Esty repaid
ment, threats and violence district is considered more the federal government
against female staffers in evenly divided politically last week with her personal
her congressional office. compared with most of funds.
Esty, a Democrat from Con- the others. The Democratic House Democratic Leader
necticut and an outspoken Congressional Campaign Nancy Pelosi commended
#MeToo advocate, made Committee expressed Esty’s former employee
the announcement not to confidence it will remain Anna Kain for coming for-
seek a fourth term in the in Democratic control. The ward and telling her story.
November election days district includes Newtown, Pelosi stopped short of call-
after apologizing for not where the Sandy Hook El- ing on the congresswoman
protecting her employees ementary School shooting to resign, saying Esty had
from the male ex-chief of massacre occurred. Esty acknowledged “her ac-
staff. has been a vocal advo- tions did not protect Ms.
Since her Friday apology, cate for stronger gun laws Kain and should have.”
which came after two news In this March 4, 2015, file photo, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn. but has been mostly un- Esty has said she learned
organizations published ar- speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. US Rep. able to pass any new fed- through a third party in 2016
ticles about her handling of Associated Press eral legislation since the about possible misconduct
the matter, a growing num- 2012 shooting. She recently by Baker involving a former
ber of fellow Democrats, in- she said in a statement. and the Washington Post attended President Donald staffer, who worked in her
cluding the top two in the Esty’s announcement that he denies some of the Trump’s White House meet- office from 2013 to 2015.
Connecticut Senate, had came hours after she asked allegations. A phone num- ing on guns and other is- Esty said she fired Baker
urged her to resign. the House Ethics Commit- ber listed for a Tony Baker in sues following the Parkland, about three months later
The congresswoman, who tee to review her actions to Columbus, Ohio, where the Florida, school shooting. after receiving an internal
insisted last week she would determine if there was any spokesman said the former Connecticut Democrats investigation report that re-
not resign, said Monday she wrongdoing on her part. chief of staff was living, was praised Esty’s decision not vealed improper behavior
determined “it is in the best Esty has said she regrets disconnected. to seek re-election. by Baker that affected mul-
interest of my constituents not moving along an inter- The 58-year-old Esty was a “The truth is, too many facts tiple female staffers.
and my family to end my nal investigation into the former member of her local about how this incident Before news of the con-
time in Congress at the end 2016 allegations against town council in Cheshire was handled fall short of troversy broke, Esty had is-
of this year and not seek re- Tony Baker, which revealed and a one-term state rep- appropriate standards for sued press releases calling
election.” more widespread allega- resentative in the state’s responsible and responsive for tougher harassment
She added how “too tions of abuse, and regrets General Assembly before leadership,” said Demo- protections for congres-
many women” have been providing “even the slight- winning her first term in cratic Gov. Dannel P. Mal- sional staffers and was
harmed by workplace ha- est assistance to this indi- Congress representing the loy, who had not publicly among those demanding
rassment. vidual as he sought a new 5th District in 2012. called for her to resign. that then-U.S. Rep. John
“In the terrible situation in job.” A graduate of Harvard Uni- The Democratic state Sen- Conyers, of Michigan, re-
my office, I could have and A spokesman for Baker told versity in 1981, she earned ate’s majority leader, Bob sign amid allegations of
should have done better,” Hearst Connecticut Media her law degree from Yale Duff, was among those to misconduct.q