Lobbyist says she was harassed by current PA lawmaker

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HARRISBURG — A lobbyist for one in all Pennsylvania’s most influential unions says a sitting state Home lawmaker sexually harassed her, and he or she is urging the legislature to develop inside guidelines that govern who can deliver misconduct complaints.

Andi Perez, who advocates on behalf of Service Workers Worldwide Union 32BJ in Harrisburg, plans to make the allegation Friday night in Philadelphia throughout a listening session organized by new state Houser Speaker Mark Rozzi (D., Berks).

Rozzi has scheduled a sequence of public conferences to solicit suggestions concerning the state Home’s working procedures amid partisan impasse over which political occasion controls the chamber. The periods supply a uncommon alternative for Pennsylvanians to straight weigh in on the foundations, which in most years are rapidly adopted at first of every new legislative session.

Perez stated she was harassed by a male lawmaker whereas discussing a invoice outdoors of the Capitol constructing, in accordance with ready testimony reviewed by Highlight PA. She didn’t present the lawmaker’s identify, his occasion affiliation, or further particulars.

The lawmaker “determined to caress my leg whereas I used to be sporting a skirt all of the whereas telling me he was impressed by my ardour and information of the problems we have been discussing,” Perez plans to say. “I moved away from him hoping he would cease — he didn’t.”

“I might sit right here for hours telling you the vary of feelings I felt after this,” she wrote within the remarks. “After all I used to be filled with rage on the disrespect and conceitedness it requires to so openly sexually harass me in a public place the place I’m simply attempting to do my job for the employees in my union.”

Perez tried to file a grievance with the state Home Ethics Committee, in accordance with her testimony, however was informed “sorry, the foundations don’t will let you file a grievance since you aren’t an worker of the Home. There was nothing within the Home Guidelines that allowed management to formally take any additional motion.”

A spokesperson for state Home Democrats didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. A spokesperson for the chamber’s GOP caucus stated it had “not been made conscious of the referenced allegation.”

In 2019, state Home management added office protections to the chamber’s guidelines for the primary time, banning “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or different verbal or bodily conduct of a sexual nature.”

The change was made after two girls accused a male lawmaker of bodily and sexual abuse, however he continued to serve within the legislature till the top of his time period. One of many girls was additionally a state lawmaker and obtained a restraining order towards him.

As Highlight PA beforehand reported, the coverage solely covers state Home staff. That has meant people who repeatedly work together with lawmakers — akin to different authorities staff, lobbyists, constituents, and journalists — have been unable to report an allegation to the committee.

Perez needs the legislature to undertake sexual abuse and harassment insurance policies that cowl extra individuals who work together with lawmakers in the middle of their official duties, in accordance with her testimony.

“Nobody is above the regulation,” Perez wrote in her ready remarks. “A lawmaker who harasses somebody needs to be held accountable by their very own friends by an Ethics course of.”

The state Home and Senate usually undertake guidelines on the primary day of a brand new two-year legislative session after leaders hammer out the small print behind closed doorways.

The higher chamber did so on Jan. 3, however the guidelines stay unfinished within the decrease chamber. Democrats are awaiting the outcomes of particular elections anticipated to provide them a one-vote majority — which might permit the occasion to set the foundations with out compromise — whereas Republicans, dealing with inside divisions, have unsuccessfully tried to drive the chamber again in session.

Rozzi has canceled future periods of the state Home and convened a bipartisan committee to barter the foundations. In accordance with his workplace, he scheduled the listening tour to “yield options to partisan gridlock” and to determine a path to advancing a proposed constitutional modification that may give survivors of childhood sexual abuse an opportunity to sue their perpetrators.

The latter is a private trigger for Rozzi, who himself is a survivor.

The hearings present an uncommon alternative for public dialogue of the foundations, which dictate how simple or laborious it’s for payments to change into regulation and, importantly for Perez and different advocates, disciplinary procedures for lawmakers.

In accordance with her testimony, Perez’s expertise has already prompted a response contained in the legislature. State Rep. Kate Klunk (R., York) final 12 months proposed a rule change to explicitly ban state Home lawmakers from participating “in sexual harassment whereas performing Home-related providers or duties or in or on any Home-owned or leased property or services.”

Perez stated Klunk’s proposal, which was not adopted, can be a “step towards altering the tradition of Harrisburg.”

As within the state Home, state Senate guidelines solely permit the chamber’s lawmakers and staff to deliver inside sexual harassment complaints.

In early January, state Sens. Katie Muth (D., Chester) and Lindsey Williams (D., Allegheny) pressed the chamber to undertake guidelines that may cowl non-employees, an effort rebuffed by Republicans.

“Sen. Muth and I need to guarantee that each particular person in that constructing is protected and has a secure place to report misconduct,” Williams informed Highlight PA.

Whereas chamber-wide efforts failed, Senate Democrats are within the strategy of amending an inside ethics coverage so as to add sexual harassment protections for non-employees, Williams stated.

Each pushes have been backed by SEIU, in addition to various different labor unions and progressive advocacy teams.

In letters despatched to lawmakers in each chambers earlier this month, the coalition referred to as for expanded guidelines.

“How the Home chooses to control itself is a message to each office and employer within the state. It units a normal to which the commonwealth ought to maintain itself,” the letter stated. “Passing [Klunk’s] decision would inform anybody who involves advocate earlier than the Home that they are going to be shielded from harassment, and that their security is of the very best concern.”

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