I suppose the holidays are a good time for several news dumps. I will add to it as time allows.
www.theguardian.com/...
Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU who has become a key witness in the impeachment inquiry, has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women who say he retaliated against them after they rejected his advances.
To be balanced:
“These untrue claims of unwanted touching and kissing are concocted and, I believe, coordinated for political purposes,” Sondland said. “They have no basis in fact, and I categorically deny them.”
Sondland’s lawyer even suggested the women may be retaliating against the ambassador after failed business opportunties. “Notably, what each of these three women share in common is that they pursued Ambassador Sondland for financial and personal gain — an investment, a job, and insurance brokerage work — and he declined their proposals,” said lawyer Jim McDermott.
McDermott added that the timing of the article’s publication could be viewed as “veiled witness tampering,” but the authors of the piece noted they began reporting on the story last month.
The three women accusing Gordon Sondland of sexual misconduct all shared their names and allegations on the record with ProPublica.
www.propublica.org/...
In one case, a potential business partner recalls that Sondland took her to tour a room in a hotel he owns, only to then grab her face and try to kiss her. After she rejected him, Sondland backtracked on investing in her business.
Another woman, a work associate at the time, says Sondland exposed himself to her during a business interaction. She also recalls falling over the back of a couch trying to get away from him. After she made her lack of interest clear, she says Sondland called her, screaming about her job performance.
A third woman, 27 years Sondland’s junior, met him to discuss a potential job. She says he pushed himself against her and kissed her. She shoved him away. She says his job help stopped.
This news isn't nearly as surprising as the reported suicide of the Deutsche Bank executive that annieli is covering, but it is interesting that the news is dropping on a day when many Americans are driving, flying, cooking, or simply focused on family.
