Dirty old man uses his position of power to harass young woman in his office, some are tickled:
Comptroller William Donald Schaefer was unapologetic yesterday after making suggestive comments to a young female aide to the governor during a meeting of the state Board of Public Works.
The incident sent some jaws dropping and drew laughter from others in the crowd of more than 100 state officials, lobbyists, journalists and business leaders attending the session.
Yes, because it’s so amusing when your boss humiliates you and lets you know what you’re *really* there for in front of 100 influential people. Real knee-slapper, there:
Responding to Schaefer’s request for tea, the woman, an executive assistant in Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.’s front office, set down a thermal mug in front of the comptroller. Schaefer, 84, watched her walk away, then beckoned for her to return. When she obliged, he told her, “Walk again,” staring after her as she left a ceremonial conference room at the State House.
Oh, no. It wasn’t enough to simply ogle the woman. He had to show her that he had power over her and put her in her place — which, he apparently felt, was that of a sexbot.
He was, of course, called on this bullshit because not everyone in the room found his behavior so endearing. Check out his response:
“That’s so goddamn dumb, I can’t believe it,” Schaefer said when asked about the appropriateness of his remark. “She’s a pretty little girl.”
She “ought to be damn happy that I observed her going out the door,” Schaefer said. “The day I don’t look at pretty women is the day I die.”
Yes, she ought to be damned happy to be humiliated and reminded that no matter how hard she works or how talented she is, there will always be some guy with the power to fire her staring at her ass.
And once again, we see that being called out on sexual harassment is much, much worse than being subjected to sexual harassment:
The comptroller briefly broke away from reporters to talk to the woman in private, but returned to say he had not apologized.
“The one who’s offended is me,” he said, for being subjected to questions about the encounter.
The woman’s father’s reaction to the incident is rather revealing, both of the political culture that tolerates this old fart’s lewdness with a wink and a nod, and of his own attitudes about sexual harassment:
Reached at home last night, the assistant, Elizabeth Krum, 24, declined to discuss the matter. But her father said he feels the incident was “sexual harassment on the job.”
“We’re very, very upset about this,” said Allen Krum, a science teacher from Towson. “It seems that just because he’s older, he’s tolerated by the Democrats and Republicans.
“It’s all fun and games until it’s your own daughter, and then it’s not fun anymore,” Krum said.
Fun and games, indeed. Spoken like someone who’s never had to think about this shit.
Make no mistake, this kind of “compliment” is meant to shame, embarrass and put the woman into her place. When I was younger, I had a few experiences where I was already nervous enough about, say, interviewing a public official when I still felt like I didn’t know enough to do my job, and he started off the interview with some comment about my eyes or my clothes or something just inappropriate enough to feel humiliating but not inappropriate enough that I felt I could say anything. It was definitely meant to throw me off my guard and remind me who was in control of the interview. At least in those few instances, I didn’t have a huge audience to bear witness to my humiliation.
The governor airily dismissed the incident involving his close pal:
Ehrlich has cultivated a close personal and professional relationship with Schaefer and relies on the comptroller’s vote on the three-member board to enact many of his spending priorities.
The governor left the conference room at the end of the meeting without commenting, but later in the day said he heard that Schaefer had tried to make amends.
“He peeked his head into my office and told the women who work in my front office he certainly did not want to insult anybody, that was not his purpose, and that was the end of that,” Ehrlich said.
Yes, I’m sure the women in your front office are mollified by that. Because I’m sure this guy doesn’t have a history of treating the little people like shit:
Schaefer, who is expected to run for re-election this year, is well-known for his often uncouth public statements, particularly during his opening monologues of the twice-monthly public works meeting. He has railed against McDonald’s employees who speak limited English and people with AIDS, and has long called the women with whom he works “little girls.” He’s also known to berate state officials attending the meetings.
…
Schaefer launched his customary monologue at the start of the meeting by saying that if anyone in the crowd had an anniversary that day, he or she should stand.
Elizabeth “Billie” Grieb, president of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, announced that it was her third wedding anniversary. He told her to sing “Happy Anniversary” to herself. At first she demurred, but Schaefer insisted. After Grieb started to sing, he let her sit.
Through spokeswoman Lainie Contreras, Grieb said Schaefer is an old friend and a zoo supporter, and that she took no offense.
Meanwhile, Martha Smith, president of Anne Arundel Community College, reported to the board that her school was recently ranked first in a national survey.
“How do you feel?” Schaefer asked.
“I feel great,” Smith replied.
Schaefer responded, “You look great, too.”
Hat tip to Pam at Pandagon.
Jesus. H. Christbasket. What the fuck?
Kind of like ol’ “Groping Bill” Richardson…
http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/417233nm12-17-05.htm
Only instead of just verbalizing, Richardson also (according to his lieutenant governor) “He pinches my neck. He touches my hip, my thigh, sort of the side of my leg.”
Guess he learned a lot serving with Clinton…How to verbally and physically harass your subordinates, all the while incredulously claiming. “.. he was surprised anyone would be irritated by his physical contact…. With a sigh, Richardson said, “I guess that’s what I get for being friendly.”"
Ah, yes. It is always Clinton’s fault. Bill’s and Hillary’s.
Oh well, she’ll have plenty of witnesses–I hope–if it ever gets to court.
Marksman,
Think this well get to court?
Sick old fuck.
Please understand. Shaefer is a democrat-in-name-only. He’s a card carrying member of the Donald Shaefer Party. The mans narcissism knows no bounds and he is generally detested by the state party. His opponent in the primary is Peter Franchot, a real progressive and has a real good chance ending Shaefer’s career.
Consider dropping a few bucks his way…
http://www.franchot.com
I am still registered to vote in Maryland and over the years when younger and still lived there there were always stories about him.
Having a few relatives that are involved in politics to some degree down there you do have to know that he is honestly considered by many to be senile. He often rambles incoherently and had no business running for any office. Not that this makes a didference but he is sick old fuck in more ways thatn one.
Don’t need witnesses – it was taped. I saw it on MSNBC last night. It was in front of a room full of people (many of whom laughed) and looked unbelievably humiliating.
As the article notes, this one incident is not enough to go to court with, regardless of the tape. And that’s probably the way we want it. This case might be different if anyone was alleging injury.
One incident may not be enough, but the guy has a history, and his shit is tolerated by the governor. She might be able to show that his behavior and the tolerance of created a hostile environment for women there.
Gosh. Only two posts before we got a whine about the Clenis. Is that a record?
Unfortunately, there are a bunch of senile old men in government. Look at Jim Bunning. And the case can be made for Cheney these days.
This cretin directly affected this woman’s ability to do her job, and he disrupted the workplace so he could ogle a piece of ass. I’m not allowed to do whatever the heck I want at my job, so why should he be allowed to do it?
And people tell me the feminist movement isn’t needed anymore. Like heck it isn’t.
Oh yes, Pepper, Jim Bunning is a senile old idiot, as well as a wing-nut supporter of the theocracy. Unfortunately, he’s also one of my state’s two republican senators. No wonder people have a bad impression of Kentucky.
You have assumed that she’d want to. As I said, no injury has been alleged.
What a total ass. That just makes me sick.
Any man who says that Bill Clinton’s consensual relationships are the equivalent of sexual harassment is not to be trusted. I’m just saying.
Any man who says that Bill Clinton’s consensual relationships are the equivalent of sexual harassment is not to be trusted.
I agree.
What do you think Bill Clinton’s non-consensual relationships are the equivalent of?
Just askin’.
I tell ya, I am almost impressed with the right’s ability to tie EVERYTHING to the Clintons.
It is like they stalk them in private…
Anyhoo the guys a dick.
You know, I seem to recall that there are two different standards for sexual harassment: hostile work environment and then really outrageous conduct in of itself. To me, this falls into the egregious category.
(And just because she hasn’t filed a lawsuit yet, doesn’t mean she won’t.)
You do get more than a day to file a lawsuit. Not to mention, there may be further repercussions for this woman due to the very public nature of the incident, so the extent of her injury may not yet be known.
dude should be fired. that is so unprofessional and wrong. Gabriel, who’s the ‘we’. Count me out of your ‘we’ please. I want to see this man taken to task for harrassment.
I have dealt with a lot of sexual harassment claims in my professional life, and in fact, I have actually defended employers in sexual harassment lawsuits.
But this one has sent me over the edge. I don’t find myself “enraged” by news stories very often, but this one’s done it.
Sure, to constitute “sexual harassment,” the incident or incidents have to be “pervasive” or “severe.” Due to the public nature of the incident and the fact that this asshole forced his young employee to be complicit in her own humiliation by making her walk twice, I would, if I were a juror, find this to be a “severe” incident sufficient in and of itself to constitute a hostile work environment. I hope she sues the bastard. And for the Governor to wink at it is just effing outrageous.
Of course, the rub is that she has to show some sort of injury — i.e. emotional distress (preferably requiring counseling) or she has to show she felt forced to quit as a result of this. I sure as hell hope she makes a stink about this.
He is in the same bunch as the Md. Lt Governor that compared embryo research to the holocaust last week….Md a majority democratic state none the less….Nothing will happen to this guy…he has a foot in the grave anyway. Sad, truly sad
you know, I’ve been all happy to be living in Maryland since we just shot down the same sex marriage ban. But after reading this I’m back in the place I was when we moved here: those assholes…
not a dignified way to treat a worker?? what an understatement!
Oh, see, it’s ok that he’s completely rude and crass to women, because he lets them play with the big boys in his government.
I hope Schaefer gets his butt kicked in his re-election, and I canNOT wait to kick Ehrlich out of our governor’s mansion!
guess i was wrong. it’s not ‘trolls’ day off’ after all.
How about when he pulled his dick out and asked Paula Jones to suck it? I’m just asking.
That’s not a “consensual relationship”, obviously.
>I seem to recall that there are two different standards for sexual harassment: hostile work environment and then really outrageous conduct in of itself.
Kinda–quid pro quo, and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo is self-explanatory; “sleep with me and I’ll promote you,” that kind of thing. Hostile work environment takes into account both the severity and duration of the harassment.
Two things:
1. People keep suggesting she should sue – but what about the comment in the article:
For a sexual harassment claim to hold up in court, employees must prove that the conduct involved produced a “hostile, offensive or intimidating work environment” that was “severe and pervasive,” said Harriet Cooperman, a partner with the Baltimore law firm Saul Ewing LLP and an expert in labor law.
Cooperman said the exchange between Schaefer and Krum would not qualify on either count. “In and of itself, it’s not actionable,” she said. “In and of itself, it doesn’t amount to sexual harassment.”
Can someone with a legal background explain why? And is there any other legal action she could take?
2. While I was shocked and disgusted by this story as well – I have to say this isn’t uncommon behavior. Yes – this time it was at a huge meeting and was taped – but women still indure this kind of treatment on a daily basis. I work at a large corporate firm and am shocked by the behavior of some of the older male partners towards the young female paralegals.
Gosh. Only two posts before we got a whine about the Clenis. Is that a record?
Not anymore, Zuzu! Bwahahahahahaha.
I am forever amazed at how fast the sides spin up in issues such as this. Embarassing Ms Krum is NOT harassing her. Schaefer was over the line for crudity, but it is a stretch to claim sexual harassment.
Geezers (I r 1) often get a pass from both men and women. However, if they’re an asshole when they’re old they were an asshole when they were young.
And, lemme tell ya, he ain’t clueless either. Humiliating a subordinate is a time-honored show of power.
Like Lauren said: Jesus H. Christ.
All you trolls who are saying that she wanted to be sexually harassed because she hasn’t filed a lawsuit yet… just, wow. You’re disgusting human beings. And invoking Clinton is relevant how? Oh, right, it’s not.
Why is it not okay among the wingnut crowd to say you’re a racist (mind you, it’s okay to be a racist), but it’s perfectly acceptable to openly hate women and gays?
And is exactly why this is a classic case of sexual harrassment. It was a power game and she was the loser, although because it was taped, the official will more than likely suffer his share of embarrassment.
This man is an assbag like so many men in power, especially in his age group, are. The assertion that he has a higher than average record of promoting women only serves this further. To say a woman’s promotion depends on the genteel affections of some old dodder only serves the assumption that without his patronage, they’d be nothing.
In the same vein, I wonder, has this man obtained more license to objectify and publiclly humiliate women because he also supposedly serves as the great supporter of women’s advancement in the working world by giving them more promotions? Or does such an assertion only further the stereotype that without some patronizing old coot who shamelessly oogles them, women can get nowhere in the working world?
Most women who have spent more than a week or two in the working world around male superiors have been victims of or witnessed such behavior.
To be haplessly trapped into the role of ‘strutting her stuff’ for the purient pleasure of a man who holds her paycheck in balance couldn’t have been pleasurable. The fact that the woman and the rest of crowd is laughing or smiling I think hardly fills the image of pleasure. I would suggest it was more of uncomfortable embarrassment.
Hopefully people in Maryland will have the mind to not vote for such an ass, but I don’t hold out such hope really. Such men are everywhere and are thriving.
Might I also add that it speaks volumes for what almost all women know intuitively (ingrained since childhood) — that in nearly every social/working sphere they must be considered first and foremost physically attractive before any other qualifications about them are considered.
Not to feed the trolls or anything but…
Telling a woman to turn around and walk away again so you can stare at her ass is sexual harassment. It’s not just over the line for crudity, it’s an appalling way to humilate a subordinate to get your rocks off.
Look at what he did to that woman from the zoo. He humiliated her by putting her on the spot, making her sing in front of the room, and not letting her sit down until he was satisfied she was properly subservient. And when asked to react to the harassment of Ms. Krum, she had to be very careful what she said because, as the reporter pointed out, Schaefer is a “supporter of the zoo.” Since he’s also the state comptroller, it also means she has to watch what she says, lest His Colorfulness yank funding from the zoo. So she excused what he did.
Please, please, please – someone tell me where the line is. Or better still tell me what is safe. Offensive behavior does NOT always consitute SexHar. The currrent double standard is getting way out of control. Misandy is also offensive, BUT too rarely pursued.
Smitty, there ain’t no perfect line. Live with it, don’t be so lineal. What is or is not acceptable is more defined by the perceptions of the receiver than the sender.
So, don’t say anything sexual to a woman in the office. It’s not the place for it. If that’s a bit difficult….telling a woman you lover her tits is o.k. if she’s your g/f not so good if she’s your executive assistant. Try this… If someone said it (or did it) to your mother or daughter, how would you feel?
[...] s are funny. Although my experience seems vastly different from the story at Pandagon and Feministe, whether it’s a joke about female sex [...]
Smitty, here’s another fun tip. Say whatever you want to whomever you want whenever you want. And live with the consequences.
“What is or is not acceptable is more defined by the perceptions of the receiver than the sender.” My point exactly. Ms Krum said she was EMBARASSED not harassed. Third parties made it into harassment. Misandry????
“Say whatever you want to whomever you want whenever you want. And live with the consequences.” JEEEEEEEEZZZZZ
Please, please, please – someone tell me where the line is.
“Asking a subordinate to walk across the room again for my viewing pleasure, in front of hundreds of staff and press personnell” is definitely on the wrong side of the line.
Is admiring someone walking across the room but keeping that information to yourself crossing that line?
No, seriously — I wonder these things sometimes, because I personally see nothing wrong with some old fart appreciating my womanly ass walking away from him. Calling me back and telling me to walk away again and then making cracks about it — well, that’s over my personal line.
In other words, I can appreciate his sentiment that the day he doesn’t watch a pretty girl walk away is the day he dies. But I can certainly take exception to him embarrassing women by TELLING them to do so. Make any sense to anyone else?
Absolutely. He shouldn’t expect the world to share in or participate in his fantasies just because he wants to have them.
There’s no misandry in calling out a slimey politician for an appalling remark. We’re not contemptuous because he’s a man. We’re contemptuous because he’s a jackass who publicly humilated a subordinate.
This was all caught on tape just so you know. I got to see footage of it on TV just the other night. It’s all very frustrating bc I’m sure he still sits in that same position.
So if it does go to court, they’ve got more than just witnesses, the idiots taped it all.
okay, so i should have actually read all the posts better instead of just skimming – bc you all already know it’s on tape.
nevermind.