$48,000 severance to Grijalva staffer draws scrutiny
Ronald J. Hansen
Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva reportedly approved a $48,000 settlement to a woman who accused him of being frequently drunk and creating a hostile work environment during the few months she worked with him.
According to the Washington Times, the 2015 deal was structured as five months of extra pay as part of a severance package for the woman, who worked with Grijalva for three months as part of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Grijalva, who is the highest-ranking Democrat on the committee, said in a statement Tuesday that he could not elaborate publicly on the settlement under the terms of the deal. He maintained the matter did not involve sexual harassment.
“I do not attend work-related events drunk, and I have never created a hostile work environment in my offices — all of which is verifiable by those who work with me,” he said.
Grijalva: Process handled 'ethically and appropriately'
Other information, including the unidentified woman's specific allegations, were also not available, though the matter was settled using taxpayer funds.
“The fact is that an employee and I, working with the House Employment Counsel, mutually agreed on terms for a severance package, including an agreement that neither of us would talk about it publicly," Grijalva said. "The terms were consistent with House Ethics Committee guidance. The severance funds came out of my committee operating budget. Every step of the process was handled ethically and appropriately."
ROBERTS:Grijalva paid $48k to hush staff accusation
The Washington Times reported that the woman received $48,395 and she did not pursue a formal complaint with the Office of Compliance, which adjudicates workplace complaints, ranging from unpaid overtime to harassment. She reportedly had hired a lawyer and threatened a lawsuit.
"The severance did not involve the Office of Compliance and at no time was any allegation of sexual harassment made, and no sexual harassment occurred," Grijalva said. "Under the terms of the agreement, had there been an allegation of sexual harassment, the employee would have been free to report it."
Grijalva acknowledged alcohol problem in 1985
News of the severance payment comes as Washington and the media and entertainment industries are grappling with complaints from women over sexual harassment.
In a recent interview with C-SPAN, Grijalva said he supported making more information publicly known about matters involving allegations of sexual misconduct but was willing to keep other cases private.
"If a settlement payment was issued specifically on the issue of sexual harassment ... as a means to quiet that ... that kind of information needs to at some point be public and noted. Other claims that occur and other settlements that occur ... that might be a different matter."
The Office of Compliance has reported paying federal workers 264 settlements since 1997 totaling $17 million for various reasons. It did not provide information about those cases, but did indicate the reasons can include unpaid overtime and many do not involve members of the House or Senate.
Grijalva, who was first elected to Congress in 2002, acknowledged a problem with alcohol decades ago.
In 1985, Grijalva pleaded guilty in a drunken-driving case when he was a board member of the Tucson Unified School District. At the time, Grijalva noted his arrest had made him realize that his "drinking was going beyond social drinking."
He spent 12 days in an alcohol-abuse program in California.
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