Former Farenthold staffer says Texas congressman made lewd jokes about women with aides
WASHINGTON — A former spokeswoman for Corpus Christi Rep. Blake Farenthold used a podcast on Monday to back up another former aide’s accusations that he engaged in inappropriate sexual banter with staff.
The first accuser, Lauren Greene — who also once served as Farenthold’s communications director — received an $84,000 settlement after suing Farenthold in 2014 for sexual harassment, gender discrimination and a hostile work environment. The four-term Republican has maintained his innocence and recently vowed to repay taxpayers.
Elizabeth Peace has not accused Farenthold of sexual harassment during the nearly two years she worked as his communications director. Still, in a podcast on her personal website, she said he made sexual jokes about women, gossiped about lawmakers who were having affairs, and oversaw an office culture in which some staffers — like Farenthold — made lewd jokes and comments.
“My boss would make sexual jokes about women and I didn’t stand up and say: ‘That’s offensive,’ ” Peace, a former television news anchor, said in her “Girl, Let’s Talk” podcast. She added that about a “half dozen times, I did say: ‘Congressman, you can’t say that’ or ‘Congressman that’s not appropriate’ or ‘Congressman, there’s an intern in the room.’ ”
Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2017/12/11/farenthold-former-staffer-says-texas-congressman-made-lewd-jokes-women-aides
