Federal Housing Finance Agency chief Mel Watt is being investigated following accusations of sexual harassment, a new report says.
A staffer of the agency claimed Watt made multiple unwanted sexual advances toward her, and told her that he believed there was “an attraction” that “needs to be explored,” according to documents and partial transcripts obtained by Politico.
A transcript from April 2016 revealed that Watt coordinated for the two to meet outside the office at one point, where he disclosed his attraction to the staffer.
“Well, you probably want to know what I wanted to talk to you about,” Watt said. “I mentioned to you there is an attraction here that I think needs to be explored. In my experience there are four types of attraction: emotional, spiritual, sexual or of friendship. So, the exercise here is to find out which one exists here.”
“If I gave you that impression in any way, that was not intentional,” she said in response. “My impression was that you wanted to discuss the work-related items I’ve been talking to [a superior] about. But, if that’s not the case, then I think I should take you back to FHFA. Because I don’t want any confusion here.”
Another interaction that was documented from June 2017 shows Watt once suggested kissing a tattoo on her ankle.
“If I kissed that one would it lead to more?” Watt asked the staffer.
“Is that what we’re here to talk about?” the employee asked. “Because I already told you I don’t want to have conversations like that with you.”
The staffer’s lawyer Diane Seltzer Torre did not provide additional details on the investigation, although she confirmed there was a probe underway.
“There is an investigation in progress,” Torre said. “Our preference is to let that investigation proceed.”
Torre’s client has submitted an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint, which gives federal agencies 180 days to investigate accusations. After that period of time, an accuser may file a lawsuit. It appears the probe on Watt has been in motion for at least a month.
Watt said he remains “confident” that the ongoing probe of the situation will reveal he didn’t do “anything contrary to law.”
“The selective leaks related to this matter are obviously intended to embarrass or to lead to an unfounded or political conclusion,” Watt said in a statement via an FHFA spokesperson. “However, I am confident that the investigation currently in progress will confirm that I have not done anything contrary to law. I will have no further comment while the investiation [sic.] is in progress.”
