A new report states that an investigation was released concerning Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowswer's chief of staff sexually harassing a city employee.
Former Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio resigned in March following the start of the investigation.
Mayor’s Legal Counsel finds Former Chief of Staff to @MayorBowser “more likely than not committed sexual harassment” against a female staffer. Investigation substantiated 2 of the 8 allegations against @falcicchio . @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/8PF0mqWgT0
— Mark Segraves (@SegravesNBC4) June 18, 2023
"The legal counsel’s office investigated eight allegations and found two of the allegations were substantiated," NBC 4 Washington reported.
"According to the findings, Falcicchio engaged in unwanted physical sexual advances and sent inappropriate messages including sexually-explicit messages and graphic videos," it added.
A report released over the weekend concluded that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s former Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio did sexually harass a city employee. https://t.co/JaugakL5Nq
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) June 19, 2023
"Throughout the investigation, a sexual harassment officer with the MOLC conducted a total of 32 interviews with 21 current and former District employees, three of which were with the victim herself. The officer also reviewed "thousands of emails and other communications, including screenshot messages," documents and photographs as part of the investigation," Fox 5 DC reported.
"According to the report, which outlines all of the victim's complaints, on both Sept. 28 and Oct. 2, 2022, Falcicchio touched her and made unwelcome, physical, sexual advances toward her while she was in his apartment and that in the second incident, he exposed himself to her. This was one of two allegations that was substantiated," it continued.
#ICYMI - Among other findings, the report says Falcicchio used his office as a dating pool, made unwanted advances to an employee, as well as exposed himself to and used Snapchat to track that same employee. https://t.co/Aae4tjgUbS
— WTOP (@WTOP) June 19, 2023
"Falcicchio was also found to have sent thousands of messages between Sept. 28 and March 8 on Snapchat, instant messaging applications and to her personal cellphone. The messages included a graphic video and unwanted, sexually explicit messages from the former deputy mayor," WTOP shared.
"The same employee also complained that Falcicchio gave preferential assignments to women he found attractive in the workplace and used the office as a dating pool. While these claims were substantiated, investigators were unable to substantiate claims that favoritism was given based on sexual or romantic relationships with the former deputy mayor," it added.
The concerning case comes months after the employee's departure after serving as a key worker with Bowser.
Falciccio had served with the mayor since 2014, first volunteering for her campaign and then as a Director of Transition after her election.
The concerning report will likely lead to further investigation of the mayor's office to determine any other issues related to the disturbing news.
