Hillary Clinton said she is “proud” of the woman who came forward and accused Clinton’s 2009 faith advisor of sexual harassment.
“A story appeared today about something that happened in 2008. I was dismayed when it occurred, but was heartened the young woman came forward, was heard, and had her concerns taken seriously and addressed,” tweeted Clinton.
“I called her today to tell her how proud I am of her and to make sure she knows what all women should: we deserve to be heard.”Clinton had been accused of protecting her faith adviser, Burns Strider, after the incident.
According to The New York Times, four people who were familiar with the incident said Clinton’s campaign manager recommended that Clinton fire Strider, but she did not.
Instead, Strider’s pay was deducted for several weeks and he had to undergo counseling. Strider, however, did not attend the counseling. The woman was moved to a new job.
For Clinton’s 2016 bid for the White House, Strider was hired to lead an independent group that supported Clinton’s candidacy. The group was called Correct the Record.
In that role, Strider was fired after allegations that he had harassed a young female aid. The woman told a campaign official that Strider had rubber her shoulders inappropriately, kissed her on the forehead and sent her several suggestive emails.
Critics of Clinton say she overruled her campaign officials and did not do enough after the claim was brought to her attention.
“Dismayed? DISMAYED? Like you would be dismayed if this happened to your daughter?” said Ruth Marcus, deputy page editor for The Washington Post. “No, you would — well I would, or I would want to, anyway — rip the guy’s head off. But, sure, glad you were ‘heartened’ that the victim ‘was heard,’ although might quibble about that ‘taken seriously’ part. Zero tolerance, much?”
Photo courtesy: Flickr.com
Publication date: January 29, 2018
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