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Bowser Is Resisting Calls for Outside Probe of John Falcicchio

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An investigation by Mayor Muriel Bowser’s own lawyers found evidence that her former right-hand man, John Falcicchio, sexually harassed one of his employees. So what happens next?

It’s unprecedented to see such a senior official within the D.C. government face such accusations, and the response so far has been appropriately uneven. Just about every councilmember can agree there needs to be a deeper investigation, both of what Falcicchio actually did and how the rest of the administration allowed it to happen. But no one is particularly clear on who should run one, how to start one, or what all it should include.

This much is clear: Bowser’s choice to release this initial report into Falcicchio’s behavior around midnight on a holiday weekend, coupled with her dubious decision to bury news of his resignation back in March deep in a Friday afternoon press release, has thoroughly shredded trust that she’s taking the matter seriously. Ten of the 13 councilmembers have already criticized Bowser’s handling of the report, called for an independent investigation, or both—a unique bit of solidarity for a group of lawmakers who rarely march in such lockstep.

The unanimity ends, however, when it comes to what to do about Bowser’s actions. On the tamer end of the spectrum, there’s Council Chair Phil Mendelson, who tells City Paper that he would prefer to see this addressed via oversight hearings and doesn’t see a need for additional investigations. Then there are more strident lawmakers, like Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, who called the report’s release “a pedestrian attempt at a news dump,” and Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, who noted “w​​orkplace harassment rarely festers on its own” and “it depends on systems and cultures that enable and reinforce it.” Others still wonder whether a criminal investigation of Falcicchio is most appropriate, considering the report found Falcicchio made “physical sexual advances” and sent “unwanted, sexually explicit messages, including a graphic video.”

Bowser said Wednesday that she was “completely devastated” to read the report’s conclusions. But she also waved away calls for additional investigations beyond the those conducted by the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel, which answers directly to her.



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