HARTFORD — As the pressure increases from State politicians for Representative Elizabeth Esty to resign, Senate President Looney called for her resignation Saturday.
Looney said in a written statement, “Congresswoman Esty has long been a conscientious leader in the fight against harassment and abuse in the workplace. However, I agree with Senator Flexer that if the facts of this matter involving former staff of the congresswoman’s office are as they are alleged to be in recent news articles then Congresswoman Esty should do the right thing and resign.”
This written statements comes only a days after a former empolyee of Esty, claimed of rampant harassment of numerous women on her staff by her former Chief of Staff, Tony Baker.
Anna Kain told the Washington Post that in May of 2016, she reported to Esty and to authorities the she was sexually harassed, punched and had her life threatened by Baker, who she dated for a period of time while they both worked for Esty.
While the accuser’s claim was made in May of 2016, Baker did not leave his job until three months later.
Rep. Esty issued an apology Thursday for failing to protect female employees who say they were harassed by her former chief of staff, including one woman who said she was punched in the back and received death threats.
Read Senator Looney’sesty full statement below:
“Congresswoman Esty has long been a conscientious leader in the fight against harassment and abuse in the workplace. However, I agree with Senator Flexer that if the facts of this matter involving former staff of the congresswoman’s office are as they are alleged to be in recent news articles then Congresswoman Esty should do the right thing and resign.
“As I have said recently in public hearing testimony, we are in the midst of a national reckoning concerning sexual harassment and sexual assault. Sexual harassment is continuing to be exposed across all types of industries and all levels of government – regardless of party.
“The heartbreaking stories of so many victims only reinforce the need to ensure that we must do all within our power to protect those who depend on us and ensure safe work environments so that no one at her or his place of employment ever feels exposed to discrimination, harassment or retaliation of any kind.”
