Rep.-elect Brian Poindexter, a Democrat from Ohio, is facing an investigation over allegations of sexual harassment from a campaign worker, Politico reported. This led to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and Poindexter’s own campaign to launch separate external reviews.
The investigation comes days after two Democratic groups removed their endorsements of Poindexter from their websites without initially explaining the decision, according to Politico. The Blue Dog Coalition’s political arm and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC later confirmed they had learned about an alleged harassment complaint during the final days of the campaign.
Poindexter’s campaign said the allegations involved a comment he believed was harmless but that later made a volunteer uncomfortable. “Brian gave what he thought was an innocuous compliment to a volunteer. He heard later that it made her feel uncomfortable and he felt awful,” a campaign spokesperson said in a statement.
DCCC launches independent review after allegations emerge
DCCC Executive Director Julie Merz said the organisation was aware of the allegations and treated them seriously.
“In the interest of fairness to all parties involved, we have hired an independent, third-party firm to investigate any instance of inappropriate behavior, conduct interviews and gather the facts,” Merz said.
Merz said the investigation would be “swift, thorough and transparent” and that the DCCC would provide further comment after its completion.
Politico reported that it has not independently confirmed details of the allegation against Poindexter. The complaint remains under review, and no findings have been released.
Poindexter defeated Republican Rep. Max Miller in a Cleveland-area congressional district after a closely watched race. The contest received national attention because Miller had faced allegations of domestic abuse related to his divorce, which he has denied.
The incoming congressman’s campaign defended his record and said his experience as an ironworker shaped his approach to workplace conduct. “As a lifelong ironworker, Brian always went out of his way to make everyone feel comfortable on any job site,” the campaign spokesperson said.
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Democratic groups withdraw support pending investigation
The Blue Dog PAC and Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC confirmed they removed their endorsements after learning about the complaint.
The groups said the individual who made the allegation requested privacy and did not want details publicly released while deciding her next steps.
“We respected her desires, and also felt we needed to immediately pull our endorsements pending the investigation being completed,” the groups said in a joint statement.
They said they informed the DCCC and connected the woman with legal advocacy and support services. The groups added that they were waiting for the results of the investigation before taking further action.