Mayor Joe’s Defense to Blame the Victim

Mayor Joe’s Defense to Blame the Victim

It what has become the latest attempt to deflect away the sexual harassment case against the Mayor, his lead defense attorney, Hugh Keefe, is attempting to blame the victim Francine Carbone by asking questions in depositions on how Ms. Carbone was dressed for work on a daily basis. This as written by Patch Reporter Jack Kramer on 8-5-2018.

https://patch.com/connecticut/easthaven/work-dress-clothing-issue-mayor-maturo-sex-harassment-case

I have news for your Joe Maturo, if Ms. Carbone showed up to work in a G-String and bra it still doesn’t permit you or anyone place their hands on her, make sexual comments and or elude to the thought that she was coming on to you or anyone else. However, Mr. Mayor since you are involved in everything in the Town Hall operations you as the Chief Elected Official would have the right to send her home to dress appropriately. That’s is the appropriate response. The real question should be did you ALLOW IT? Did you ever send her home? Please read the protective order filed by Carbone.

http://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/DocumentInquiry/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=15101558

It seems that this pattern of dress was not an isolated issue but a continuance of “permitted” activities and as an employee it is up to the employee to follow the dress code if one exists. But what trumps that policy permission is if the employer allowed it to go on without any disciplinary action. Since Maturo did NOTHING about it then Ms. Carbone could rightly assume that it is permitted and therefore not be in violation of the Town Hall Dress Code Policy.

This behavior is just not isolated to Town Hall. Many positions in power have had sexual harassment claims filed against them under the Maturo Administration past and present and hardly anything was ever done to prevent it from occurring. On two occasions the East Haven Fire Department had serious sexual harassment charges filed with gross misconduct addressed and the result were no one lost their position and they should have. There have been others under the Maturo Administration but when the administration has no enforcement of policy and law what really can be done to curtail this behavior? The mere fact that Hugh Keefe is taking this approach shows the old saying, “Where there is smoke there is fire.” September 12th can’t come fast enough.

Lastly, Sexual Harassment is NOT caused by the victim but by the offender who thinks that what he or she sees they can have. It’s encouraged by lack of enforced policies and the stature of the position of power they hold. Sexual Harassment is a major problem in this Administration and it is time to hold the top person Mayor Joseph Maturo accountable.