The state Democratic Party is facing serious questions about a secret settlement agreement with a former staffer who was fired after raising concerns about being harassed by a superior, according to documents and interviews.
A member of the party’s executive committee, Watt Jones, sent a complaint to Party Chairman David Parker in March asking about the allegations and financial settlement with the former employee, urging him to “clean up this mess before it gets worse.”
“If this hits the media, the Democratic Party, our candidates and our credibility are doomed in this election,” wrote Jones, according to a copy of the email titled "confidential" obtained by The News & Observer.
The staffer’s firing has caused consternation within the party ranks for months. A party spokesman told The News & Observer in December he could not comment on an internal personnel matter.
Soon after the staffer left, former longtime party administrator Sallie Leslie quit. “The unethical actions by party leadership, of which I will not be a part of or have my and reputation be associated with such” caused her to leave, she told The News & Observer on Friday.
Now more prominent Democrats are calling on the party to come clean. “We don’t know the findings of fact, so it is important for the party chairman to review and report the facts to the governor, the Council of State and members of the State Executive Committee,” said strategist Brad Crone. “There needs to be complete transparency; let’s get the facts out and then we can move on with campaigns at hand.”
On Friday, Parker at first said he could not comment on the matter. He later put out a statement: “Over the last several months, several employees left their employment with the NCDP for business or professional reasons unrelated to their job performance, by mutual agreement of the parties involved. These are personnel matters about which we cannot and will not comment further.”
Comments
More than a molehill
April 14, 2012 - 2:10pm — slimjimI doubt Leslie would leave her job which she has devoted so much of her life over a Mole Hill. Leslie has has been Practical, Task Focused, and anything for the party except this... Sounds like a public matter the Masters at the Democratic Party have forgotten they work for the loyal Democrat voters.... Fix it fairly but they must do it with transparency.
White Man Harasses Minority Staffer
April 14, 2012 - 10:37am — MissVYes, easy to see why the NC 'Democratic' Party would want to keep this quiet and ethical staffers would depart. http://www.civitasreview.com/family-life/nc-democrat-party-leader-sexually-harassed-male-staffer/
Transparent since December?
April 14, 2012 - 7:45am — cooldelaYou cannot expect them to cover this story in December with all the holiday preparations. Then coming back to work in January is always hectic as it takes a while to get back in the groove. February is such a short month you get almost no work done at all. Then March rolls around and you have to get all that tax stuff together. So the middle of April is really the first time you can reasonably expect them to have any time for this minor matter.
But if the story concerned the Republicans you would have heard the cry:
"Stop the presses."
Transparent? LOL
April 14, 2012 - 7:16am — PamlikoI expect David to try to keep a lid on this. The larger question is why in April we are just now hearing about something "A party spokesman told The News & Observer in December".
Oh and by the way...nice job shutting down comments on the main article. Way too much nastiness out there by those always inappropriate Republicans...oh...wait.
I am sure nothing will come of this.
April 14, 2012 - 7:13am — inandohNow if it involved Republicans you can be sure the story would be assigned to a horde of investigative reporters with an unlimited budget.
But involving Democrats? Probably assign it to a reporter who is on sick leave and due back in March, 2019.
Ace Reporter #1: "Hey, pull up that corner of the rug. I got something to sweep under it. Little bit higher. There, nobody will ever notice a thing. Thanks. That's what I call teamwork."
Ace Reporter #2: "You finished? Now let's go out and dig up some dirt on those Repubs."
Ace Reporter #1: "Lead on, lead on."
Democratic Party/David Parker
April 14, 2012 - 4:48am — annerussellCome on, David. You know how much I have long respected you as an honorable person, much more than just a political hack. Please live up to your principles and be transparent about this alleged harassment matter. Just let the truth speak for itself, and the chips fall where they may. Don't obfuscate.
Tsk, Tsk - Tempest in a teapot
April 13, 2012 - 9:06pm — MalleusMaleficarumOffice politics are trivial tittle-tattle at most. People change jobs for various reasons all the time. Sometimes people think they are being harassed, and the best thing for all parties is a settlement. This is routine human resources management in 2012. Leslie and Jones are attempting to make a mountain out of a microscopic molehill. This has absolutely zero political significance.