Politics & Government
Nevada Sex Discrimination Case: FBI Liaison To Congress Cited For Misconduct
Greg Brower previously oversaw Nevada's U.S. attorney's office. He's the FBI's liaison with Congress in the Russian election meddling probe.
LAS VEGAS, NV — A former top federal prosecutor in Nevada who is the FBI's top liaison with Congress as it looks into Russian's meddling in the 2016 election was cited for misconduct after officials determined a former female prosecutor was subjected to sex discrimination and retaliation.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined earlier this year that the misconduct occurred while Greg Brower was in charge of the U.S. attorney's office in the state from January 2008 to October 2009, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Thursday.
Brower was also a former Nevada legislator.(For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)
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The eight-page decision by the commission was issued May 19 and was obtained by the newspaper. It supports an administrative judge's opinion that Brower acted hostile toward the prosecutor after she accused him of making a sexist comment.
The commission also questioned the office's slow speed in transferring the female prosecutor after she made the report.
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"While acts of discrimination and retaliation are no doubt common within the federal service, it is extremely rare to see such a finding against the U.S. attorney's office, which is charged with upholding the laws of this country," said Las Vegas attorney Adam Levine, who has advised clients in the federal equal employment opportunity process. "If any agency should be aware of the prohibition against retaliation, it is the U.S. attorney's office."
Brower and a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment.
Under the decision, the Justice Department will have to pay the former prosecutor a total of $287,998 in legal fees, costs and damages. Brower and other managers involved in the case are required to attend anti-sex discrimination and retaliation training.
The U.S. attorney's office is expected to post the order explaining the commission findings and submit a compliance report.
It is unclear whether Brower will be disciplined now that he is working for the Department of Justice again.
Photo credit: Cathleen Allison/Associated Press