<ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="11908743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="spacex" source="Orion">SpaceX</keyword> flight attendant <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-paid-250000-to-a-flight-attendant-who-accused-elon-musk-of-sexual-misconduct-2022-5">accused Elon Musk of exposing himself and propositioning her in late 2016</a>.</li><li>At about that time, he was divorcing Talulah Riley and dating <keyword id="12154120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="amber-heard" source="Orion">Amber Heard</keyword>.</li></ul><keyword id="11897862" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> was finalizing a divorce, dating the actor Amber Heard, and developing The Boring Company at about the time he was said to have exposed himself and sexually propositioned a SpaceX flight attendant.An <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-paid-250000-to-a-flight-attendant-who-accused-elon-musk-of-sexual-misconduct-2022-5">Insider investigation</a> published Thursday found that the flight attendant accused Musk of exposing his erect penis, touching her leg, and offering to give her a horse in exchange for a sexual favor in late 2016. Documents and interviews procured by Insider indicate she declined the proposition.At the time, Musk was in the middle of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-relationships-2017-11#in-2016-riley-filed-for-divorce-from-musk-which-was-finalized-in-late-2016-the-two-are-still-on-good-terms-however-riley-even-made-an-appearance-during-strauss-rolling-stone-profile-of-musk-we-still-see-each-other-all-the-time-and-take-care-of-each-other-she-told-people-13" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">divorce proceedings with the actor Talulah Riley</a>. It was their second split: Musk announced their divorce in 2012, the couple remarried in 2013, and Musk again filed for divorce from Riley in December 2014 before <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/elon-musks-wife-files-divorce-877129/">withdrawing the paperwork seven months later</a>. In 2016, their relationship ended for good, with their divorce finalized that October.That year Musk was also rumored to be dating Heard, whom he <a href="https://www.insider.com/amber-heard-bonded-elon-musk-met-gala-johnny-depp-2022-5">met and bonded with at the Met Gala in May 2016</a>.More details about Musk and Heard's <a href="https://www.insider.com/amber-heard-past-public-relationships-2022-5#amber-heard-dated-elon-musk-for-a-year-3">yearlong relationship</a> recently emerged during Heard's high-profile defamation trial against her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. <a href="https://www.insider.com/amber-heard-felt-nothing-for-elon-musk-therapist-testifies-2022-5">Heard's therapist testified</a> that Heard "felt nothing" and that her "soul was dead" when she started dating Musk several weeks after splitting with Depp.In October 2016, Musk also announced that <keyword id="11900744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tesla" source="Orion">Tesla</keyword> was <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/791756469305679873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E791756469305679873%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.co%2Fnews%2Ftop-10-elon-musk-moments-2016-2016-12">planning to develop solar roofs</a>. A month later, Tesla closed on its acquisition of Musk's cousins' company, SolarCity — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-solarcity-deal-closes-2016-11">a landmark deal</a> that later landed Musk in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-court-tesla-solarcity-acquisition-energy-damages-2021-7">$2 billion lawsuit from Tesla's shareholders</a>, which he <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-wins-solarcity-tesla-shareholder-lawsuit-2022-4">won in April of this year</a>.And in December 2016, Musk came up with the idea of <a href="https://www.boringcompany.com/">The Boring Company</a>. He tweeted on December 17 that year: "Traffic is driving me nuts. Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging...""It shall be called 'The Boring Company,'" Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/810126376871297024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E810126376871297024%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.co%2Fnews%2Ftop-10-elon-musk-moments-2016-2016-12">tweeted</a>.According to Insider's investigation, SpaceX in 2018 paid the flight attendant a $250,000 severance agreement in exchange for a promise not to sue over the claims or discuss the payment, Musk, or his businesses.Musk told Insider there was "a lot more to this story" and, after the article's publication, <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1527496917579612161">called</a> the accusations "utterly untrue." He also called the story "politically motivated hit piece."<h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-paid-250000-to-a-flight-attendant-who-accused-elon-musk-of-sexual-misconduct-2022-5">Read the investigation here.</a></h2>

Elon Musk was dating Amber Heard and finalizing a divorce around the time he's said to have sexually harassed a SpaceX flight attendant

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The New York AG said on Tuesday that Gov. <keyword id="196530" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Andrew-Cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</keyword> had sexually harassed 11 women. </li><li>Later that day, President <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> called on Cuomo to resign as governor of <keyword id="357933" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="New-York-State">New York State</keyword>.</li><li>Cuomo allies have tried to phone Biden officials, but their calls are being ignored, NBC News said. </li></ul>Allies of Gov. Andrew Cuomo are trying to contact officials in President Joe Biden's administration, but their calls are being left to ring out, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/biden-s-once-warm-relationship-cuomo-grows-chilly-n1275982">NBC News reported.</a>On Tuesday, Biden <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-calls-on-gov-andrew-cuomo-to-resign-2021-8">said Cuomo should resign</a> following <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-attorney-general-james-investigation-cuomo-sexually-harassed-women-2021-8">the release of a report from the New York Attorney General</a> that concluded Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 women. He denies the allegations.Cuomo has been holed up at his official residence in Albany since Tuesday, <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/08/05/andrew-cuomo-lounges-poolside-as-sexual-harassment-scandal-swirls/">according to reports.</a>On Wednesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-jen-psaki-holds-white-house-news-briefing-28">said</a> that Biden has not spoken to Cuomo about the allegations.However, allies of Cuomo made efforts to call Biden officials on Tuesday several times following the president's comments, but their calls were purposefully ignored, NBC News said. A White House official told NBC News that it is clear that there would be negative fallout if it came to light that the Biden and Cuomo camps were conducting secret talks. Insider contacted the White House and Cuomo's office for comment. Allegations against Cuomo outlined in the New York Attorney General's report include that he kissed aide Lindsey Boylan without her consent, ran his finger down the neck and back of a female State Trooper, and grabbed the buttocks of a female assistant during hugs and when posing for photos. The report details how Cuomo's office worked to discredit Boylan, Cuomo's first accuser, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-cuomo-advisors-leaked-lindsey-boylan-documents-ag-report-2021-8">by leaking her fact file to US journalists.</a><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/AUBRihoj-gFnR6QwM.html" width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute;"></iframe>

Andrew Cuomo allies are trying to make contact with Biden officials but are getting ignored, report says

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Republican Party of <keyword id="6357385" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="florida">Florida</keyword> is reportedly investigating a sexual harassment accusation against its chairman, Sen. Joe Gruters.</li><li>Anonymous party officials and a source <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/07/20/florida-gop-chair-under-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-harassment-1388720">told Politico</a> that the allegation is linked to an outing at Tallahassee bar during the 2021 legislative session.</li><li>Gruters was the former Florida co-chair of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.</li></ul>The chairman of the Florida GOP is reportedly under investigation over an allegation of sexual harassment involving a male legislative aide. The Republican Party of Florida is probing the accusation against its chairman, Sen. Joe Gruters, <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/07/20/florida-gop-chair-under-investigation-for-alleged-sexual-harassment-1388720">Politico reported</a>. Four party officials and another source who works with the state GOP told Politico that the allegation is linked to an evening outing at Tallahassee bar during the 2021 legislative session.Sources told the <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> outlet that a male aide offered to drive Gruters home that night and eventually Gruters allegedly sexually harassed the staffer. "The Republican Party of Florida has a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment of any kind," Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Helen Aguirre Ferré said, according to Politico. "Any complaint RPOF receives regarding harassment towards its employees or members is taken very seriously and thoroughly reviewed in accordance with RPOF HR policies and all applicable laws and regulations," the executive director said. Gruters - who served as Florida co-chair for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign - did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

Florida GOP head reportedly under investigation over allegations he sexually harassed a male aide

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two more women have accused Gov. <keyword id="196530" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Andrew-Cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</keyword> of harassment in recent years. </li><li>Former Albany reporter Jessica Bakeman wrote that the governor harassed her on multiple occasions. </li><li>Another woman told reporter Rebecca Traister that she experienced a toxic work environment.</li></ul>Two more women have come forward to describe experiences with harassment surviving a toxic work environment cultivated by New York Gov. Andrew <keyword id="513036" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cuomo">Cuomo</keyword>, who now faces multiple allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. Jessica Bakeman, a journalist who previously covered New York state <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword> for the USA Today network in Albany, <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-albany-reporter.html">wrote in an essay in The Cut</a> that the governor sexually harassed her on multiple occasions and fed into a pervasive culture of sexual harassment in Albany writ large. Bakeman recounted one incident at a 2014 holiday party Cuomo hosted for the Albany press corps. It was one, she said, that she initially hesitated going to because of all the times Cuomo had touched her before. When she approached Cuomo to thank him for inviting her, he insisted on taking a picture with her and then gripped her body tightly. He then said, "I'm sorry. Am I making you uncomfortable? I thought we were going steady," embarrassing her in front of all her colleagues in the press corps. In another instance, Bakeman said that she arrived at a press reception a little late to find Cuomo telling a story to a small group of all-male reporters. She wrote that Cuomo "took my hand, pulled me into his body and put his arm around my shoulder," and "left it there, and kept me pinned next to him, for several minutes as he finished telling his story.""I never thought the governor wanted to have sex with me," Bakeman <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-albany-reporter.html">wrote in the essay that was published on Friday</a>. "It wasn't about sex. It was about power. He wanted me to know that I was powerless, that I was small and weak, that I did not deserve what relative power I had: a platform to hold him accountable for his words and actions." In <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-cuomo-misconduct-allegations.html?utm_source=tw&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_campaign=nymaign=nym">a separate in-depth article by New York Magazine's Rebecca Traister</a>, another woman named Kaitlin, whose last name was not used, said she experienced a highly toxic work environment in Cuomo's administration. Kaitlin recalled first meeting Cuomo at a fundraiser where she was working, during which, she said, he "grabbed me in a kind of dance pose" for a picture, making her feel awkward. Shortly after, she was offered a job with Cuomo. "We all knew that this was only because of what I looked like," Kaitlin told New York Magazine. "Why else would you ask someone to come in two days after you had a two-minute interaction at a party?"Echoing <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/third-former-andrew-cuomo-aide-describes-inappropriate-workplace-treatment-11615081956">fellow Cuomo accuser Ana Liss</a> and other aides who spoke to <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/andrew-cuomo-misconduct-allegations.html?utm_source=tw&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_campaign=nymaign=nym">New York Magazine</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/nyregion/cuomo-women-toxic-workplace.html">The New York Times</a>, Kaitlin said women were expected to dress expensively and wear high heels to work.Cuomo never explicitly sexually propositioned her, Kaitlin said, but there were instances when she felt uncomfortable, including when he stood extremely close to her when they were alone in a room as well as when he sought her help with his computer, putting her in the position of having to bend over in a tight skirt. Kaitlin told Traister that while she wasn't sure if what she experienced rose to the level of sexual harassment, she felt "verbally and mentally abused by him and his staff" and described the situation as one of "coercive control," where she felt deeply depressed and worried about possible retaliation if she tried to leave. Other former Cuomo aides, including Liss, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-cuomo-staffer-describes-sexual-harassment-in-new-essay-2021-2">Lindsey Boylan</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2nd-former-aide-accuses-andrew-cuomo-of-sexual-harassment-2021-2">Charlotte Bennett</a>, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/cuomo-toxic-workplace/2021/03/06/7f7c5b9c-7dd3-11eb-b3d1-9e5aa3d5220c_story.html">Karen Hinton</a>, who worked with Cuomo at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-cuomo-scandals-summary-sexual-harassment-nursing-homes-impeachment-resignation-2021-3">have already come forward to accuse the governor</a> of sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace behavior.A current unnamed staffer also filed an internal complaint accusing Cuomo of aggressively groping her at the governor's mansion last year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-sexual-harassment-six-women-new-accuser-governor-mansion-report-2021-3">the Albany Times Union first reported</a>. This incident <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-sexual-harassment-albany-police-governors-mansion-sixth-accuser-report-2021-3">has been brought to the attention of the Albany Police Department</a> and could rise "to the level of a crime," a police spokesman told The New York Times.Another woman, Anna Ruch, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/another-woman-accused-gov-cuomo-of-unwanted-advances-2021-3">told The New York Times</a> that Cuomo grabbed her waist and face and asked to kiss her at a 2019 wedding. With the harassment allegations snowballing, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-resignation-letter-59-democrats-state-legislature-carl-heastie-scandals-2021-3">the majority of lawmakers in the state legislature</a>, including powerful state Senate president Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and two-thirds of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/congressional-democrats-aoc-demand-andrew-cuomo-resignation-2021-3">the Democratic members of New York's congressional delegation</a>, have called on Cuomo to resign from office. The sexual harassment allegations are currently the subject of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-sexual-harassment-investigation-hires-criminal-defense-attorney-2021-3">both an independent investigation</a> overseen by the attorney general's office <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-gov-andrew-cuomo-subject-to-impeachment-investigation-2021-3">and an impeachment investigation</a> being conducted by the state Assembly's judiciary committee, where impeachment would begin. Cuomo, however, has remained defiant. In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/andrew-cuomo-press-conference-refuse-resign-bowing-cancel-culture-2021-3">Friday afternoon press call</a>, he said he "did not do what has been alleged, period," and said his resigning would be "bowing to cancel culture."

2 more women, including a former Albany reporter, come forward to accuse Gov. Andrew Cuomo of harassment and toxic behavior

<ul class="summary-list"><li>New details emerged from the sixth woman to accuse <keyword id="6355838" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="new-york">New York</keyword> Gov. <keyword id="196530" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Andrew-Cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</keyword> of sexual harassment.</li><li>The unnamed female staffer alleged the governor fondled her in his private residence last year.</li><li><keyword id="513036" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Cuomo">Cuomo</keyword> denied the new allegations in a statement to Insider Wednesday night.</li></ul>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-sexual-harassment-six-women-new-accuser-governor-mansion-report-2021-3">sixth woman to accuse</a> New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment - who is currently a staffer - said he groped her in the executive mansion last year, <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Female-aide-said-Cuomo-aggressively-groped-her-at-16015863.php">according to the Albany Times Union.</a>The newspaper published new details about the alleged incident Wednesday, describing the most serious allegation against the third-term Democrat yet.The unnamed woman alleged Cuomo "aggressively groped her in a sexually charged manner" after she had been summoned to the governor's private residence under the pretext of helping him solve a technology issue, a person with direct knowledge of the woman's claims told the Times Union.Once alone, the source said Cuomo closed the door, then reached under the unnamed aide's shirt and allegedly began to fondle her. She reportedly told him to stop.The source, who told the newspaper they were not authorized to comment on the matter publicly, also said the unnamed staffer alleged that the governor was frequently flirtatious and said the mansion incident was not the only time he touched her.Cuomo issued a statement to Insider Wednesday night denying the new allegations."As I said yesterday, I have never done anything like this. The details of this report are gut-wrenching. I am not going to speak to the specifics of this or any other allegation given the ongoing review, but I am confident in the result of the attorney general's report," he said.The woman reportedly revealed her story in the governor's Executive Chamber on March 3, as she and fellow staff members watched Cuomo give his first news conference since the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a-fourth-woman-accuses-cuomo-of-inappropriate-behavior-2021-3">flood of allegations</a> had begun.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cuomo-sexual-harassment-six-women-new-accuser-governor-mansion-report-2021-3">Insider reported</a> that the woman disclosed the incident in an internal complaint to her supervisors, and that complaint had been referred to the New York Attorney General Tish Jame's office, where an investigation into Cuomo's conduct is underway.

New details emerge from Cuomo's 6th accuser, claiming he 'aggressively groped her in a sexually charged manner'

<div type="image" title="joe biden nancy pelosi" height="1319" width="2638" msid="75647493" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Presumptions of guilt do not serve justice, they inevitably lead to false accusations and ruined lives.</li><li>That's something Democrats are rediscovering now that <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword>, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, faces a sexual assault allegation.</li><li>In the <keyword id="5901457" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="MeToo">#MeToo</keyword> era, "Believe Women" was meant to create a societal change that women would be taken seriously when they reported abuse.</li><li>But it was taken literally by some Democrats, including prominent lawmakers, such as Biden himself.</li><li>Due process is not exclusively for the popular. It's for both the guilty and the wrongly accused, and it's the foundation that gives just verdicts their weight. </li><li>This is an <keyword id="6356002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="opinion">opinion</keyword> column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Justice requires a code. It needs a set of guiding principles that offer the right of due process to both the unimpeachably guilty and the wrongly accused. That's the foundation that gives verdicts their weight.Presumptions of guilt, denials as incrimination, and convictions by way of accusations do not serve justice. They inevitably lead to malicious and baseless accusations and ruined lives. They also cheapen the experience of true victims and ultimately undermine faith in justice itself. That's a lesson that Joe Biden and his supporters are coming around to learning, now that the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has been accused by former staffer Tara Reade of committing sexual assault in a Senate hallway nearly 30 years ago. Biden categorically denies Reade's accusation. Several high-profile female Democratic lawmakers — including House Speaker <keyword id="128640" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nancy-Pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</keyword>, Stacey Abrams, and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand — have gone public with their support and belief in Biden's innocence, largely based on their personal experiences with him that showed no indications that he would be capable of such a crime. And Reade's status as a Bernie Sanders supporter who has tweeted strangely supportive statements about Vladimir Putin, as well as the timing of her accusation, are being used by Biden supporters to cast doubt on her claims. Considering the reliability and history of both the accuser and accused are things that happen when an accusation is adjudicated through due process. The accused is given a chance to defend themself. Character witnesses can be called in support of the accused. The accuser's credibility and motives can be called into question. But that basic code is not how Democrats have been inclined to treat sexual assault or harassment allegations since the <keyword id="6115384" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="MeToo-Movement">#MeToo movement</keyword> was sparked in 2017, or even before that. <h2>"Every claim is [not] equal"</h2>Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2018 <a href="https://twitter.com/GovWhitmer/status/1045329638933843968">tweeted</a> "I believe Dr. Ford" in support of Christine Blasey Ford, who accused conservative then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school.CNN's Jake Tapper <a href="https://twitter.com/dcexaminer/status/1256942173460656131">on Sunday</a> asked Whitmer how she could so unequivocally believe in Biden's innocence now, given the fact that Ford lacked "the contemporaneous accounts" of her alleged assault that Reade has provided. Whitmer replied that "as a survivor and as a feminist, we need to give people an opportunity to tell their story. But then we have a duty to vet it. And just because you're a survivor does not mean that every claim is equal." That is true, but it doesn't address the discrepancy in Whitmer's personal standard of evidence. And it's not how Democrats have dealt with the issue of adjudicating sexual assault and harassment claims over the past decade. In 2011, the Obama administration changed its <a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/overview-title-ix-education-amendments-1972-20-usc-1681-et-seq">Title IX</a> guidelines, which "prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity." The new guidelines broadened the scope of offenses and drastically lowered the evidentiary standards for sexual assault and harassment claims on college campus. They essentially did away with due process. Under the new system, a student or faculty member could be accused, found "guilty," and expelled from campus without ever having been given the opportunity to view and dispute the evidence used against them, much less be able to rely on the assistance of legal counsel. As feminist legal scholar <a href="https://harvardlawreview.org/2015/02/trading-the-megaphone-for-the-gavel-in-title-ix-enforcement-2/">Janet Halley</a> put it, the new system was bound to produce "<a href="https://www.wbur.org/edify/2016/11/25/title-ix-obama-trump">false positives</a>." Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sexual-assault-rules-college-campuses-student-rights-betsy-devos/">mostly reversed the Obama-era rules</a> this week, and Biden <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/06/biden-vows-a-quick-end-to-devos-sexual-misconduct-rule-241715">promised to reinstate</a> them if elected. However, if Biden were to face such a hearing in a college setting based on Reade's accusation, he wouldn't have the right to scrutinize the evidence, and would likely face consequences as a result.An Orwellian tale of presumed guilt by accusation on campus — under the Obama guidelines — was recently recounted at length in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/magazine/title-ix-sexual-harassment-accusations.html">The New York Times Magazine</a>. The fact that the accused was a married professor with an impeccable reputation didn't matter, the letter of the "law" required her to prove her innocence, not the other way around. After a financially and emotionally draining saga, the accused was able to prove that the "accusers" were not even actual people, much less actual victims (they were the malicious creations of a professional rival with an ax to grind).But this wasn't a flaw in the system, this was the design of the system. Accusers didn't have to show their face or evidence, they just needed to accuse. In this case, it was to an anonymous email account set up by the school to field Title IX complaints. And while the new guidelines were created with the best of intentions — to make it easier for sexual assault victims to file complaints against their assailants without having to endure further pain and humiliation — they provided an easily exploitable avenue for false accusations.No system of justice will ever be perfect, and no system can remove the pain felt by victims. But a system that presumes guilt will only create more victims.<h2>Relearning due process</h2>Harvey Weinstein's unmasking as a pervasive and horrific sexual abuser launched what became known as the #MeToo movement in 2017. A much-needed reckoning followed. A substantial number of wealthy and powerful men were finally held to account for their long-tolerated abuses. Casual forms of physical and verbal workplace harassment that had been commonplace were now banished as beyond the pale. "Believe women" <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/do-we-really-believe-women-how-the-kavanaugh-accusation-will-put-a-slogan-to-the-test/2018/09/16/c8a7405e-b9f2-11e8-a8aa-860695e7f3fc_story.html">became a mantra</a> in the movement. The phrase was meant to represent a push toward societal change that women's claims of abuse would be taken seriously. House Speaker Pelosi <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/938448135034195969">tweeted it</a> with a hashtag in 2017. Kirstin Gillibrand has <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=believe%20women%20(from%3Asengillibrand)&amp;src=typed_queryuery">used the phrase</a> repeatedly. And though some of its adherents don't want to admit it now, it was taken <a href="https://twitter.com/neeratanden/status/1216832259841495044">literally by many</a>. An accusation was <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2019/07/23/the-view-hosts-debate-due-process-al-frankens-metoo-accusations/1806158001/">considered a verdict</a>. This was always an untenable position. If "believe women" was literal, then due process was over. Now that Joe Biden faces what many consider a credible sexual assault accusation, the goalposts are moving. On September 16, 2018, Christine Blasey Ford's confidential letter to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/california-professor-writer-of-confidential-brett-kavanaugh-letter-speaks-out-about-her-allegation-of-sexual-assault/2018/09/16/46982194-b846-11e8-94eb-3bd52dfe917b_story.html">went public</a>. In it, Blasey Ford accused then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her 36 years earlier while they were both in high school. A day later, Gillibrand <a href="https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/1041715750921224192">tweeted</a> "Professor Blasey Ford showed immense courage and bravery by coming forward to tell her story. I believe her and will stand by her. We must all come together to support her."The subsequent hearings showed that belief in Blasey Ford's accusation <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senators-say-kavanaugh-letter-wont-hold-up-confirmation-process/2018/09/16/cbee4b4c-b9b9-11e8-9812-a389be6690af_story.html?tid=lk_interstitial_manual_10&amp;itid=lk_interstitial_manual_10l_10">generally broke along party lines</a>. Many of Kavanaugh's long-time friends and associates came forward vouching for his character, saying there had been nothing in his long judicial career or personal life that indicated he was capable of such behavior. As with Kavanaugh, a major part of how credible you find the accusation against Biden depends on how you feel about the former vice president, how you gauge the consistency of the accuser's story, how you feel about the accuser's potential motives — among other factors.In other words, it's complicated. The accusation requires thorough adjudication, which would hopefully give the public enough information to decide whether or not Biden should be president. The verdict in the court of public opinion should be rendered thoughtfully, not emotionally or reactively. The full truth may never be found, but at least something approximating due process is playing out in public. Now that he's accused, Biden and his supporters say "believe women" isn't meant to be taken literally. What it really means is listen to women, and then vet their accusations, which could be baseless. But that was simply not the prevailing post-#MeToo sentiment. House Speaker Pelosi last week rebuffed a reporter's question about why she hasn't called for an investigation into Biden's conduct as a senator, saying she didn't need a "lecture." Pelosi<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-defends-joe-biden-from-tara-reades-sexual-assault-accusation-2020-4"> added</a> that while she supports the #MeToo movement, "There's also due process and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden."Pelosi's right, there is due process. And she's completely entitled to believe Joe Biden based on her impression of his reputation. But what misses is that due process and a presumption of innocence should be for everyone, regardless of how one feels about the accused.Without due process, justice is just a popularity contest. Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-democrats-metoo-believe-women-due-process-accused-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

The accusation against Joe Biden has Democrats rediscovering the value of due process

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sued-by-ex-hamburger-university-employee-2020-11">McDonald's workers</a> have filed three new <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/del-taco-sexual-harassment-settlement-reveals-growing-problem-restaurants-2020-12">sexual-harassment lawsuits</a> in recent weeks.</li><li>The most recent was filed by Delisha Rivers, alleging <keyword id="6378093" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mcdonalds">McDonald's</keyword> failed to offer support when her manager attempted to pressure her into sexual acts in exchange for cash and a raise.</li><li>"Our values drive our policies, including comprehensive safe and respectful workplace trainings that make clear our expectations for every person who works under the Arches," McDonald's said in a statement.</li></ul>McDonald's is facing three new sexual-harassment lawsuits as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-mcdonalds-ex-ceo-steve-easterbrook-2020-9">the fast-food giant</a> makes a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-doubles-down-on-values-in-the-wake-of-controversy-2020-9">major push on corporate values</a>.Workers at franchised McDonald's locations in St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Kansas City, Missouri, have filed lawsuits against the company in recent weeks alleging sexual assault and harassment. The most recent case was filed Thursday morning by a woman named Delisha Rivers.Rivers alleges that a manager attempted to pressure her into sexual acts in exchange for cash and a raise when she was a shift leader at a McDonald's in early 2019. The complaint says she began facing retaliation at work after rejecting his advances.The single mother of five said she struggled to find a way to contact McDonald's to report harassment. According to Rivers, she called multiple numbers - first connected to corporate, then to different field districts - attempting to report what she saw as targeted retaliation. None were able to offer her assistance.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sued-by-ex-hamburger-university-employee-2020-11">Former Hamburger University worker sues McDonald's, alleging a coworker sexually assaulted and harassed her for years</a>"They were definitely impossible to reach," Rivers told Insider in a recent interview. "I still couldn't tell you how to reach them."In February 2019, Rivers quit her job at McDonald's after facing what she calls unjustified criticism for things such as not speaking loudly enough, wearing the wrong color of shirt, and insubordination. It was a difficult process. With five children ages 2 to 9, Rivers said, she was forced to change her childcare routine, with her kids sitting in the lobby as she worked the night shift at her new job.Rivers said she didn't feel as if McDonald's cared, because if it did, she said, "I'm pretty sure these franchise owners would be more aware and more careful about what goes on in their stores."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/del-taco-sexual-harassment-settlement-reveals-growing-problem-restaurants-2020-12">Del Taco will pay more than $1 million to settle a sexual-harassment lawsuit. It's just the tip of the iceberg for a growing problem plaguing restaurant workers</a>McDonald's introduced a new hotline in 2019 that allows workers to anonymously express concerns and report harassment. The company said in a statement that it did not tolerate sexual harassment and that the company or franchisees reviewed the facts when concerns were raised in restaurants."Our values drive our policies, including comprehensive safe and respectful workplace trainings that make clear our expectations for every person who works under the Arches," McDonald's said in a statement. "McDonald's franchisees share our commitment to being responsible partners to our communities, and we make versions of these trainings available as a resource to them."<h2>Accusations of failing to support workers</h2>The two other sexual-harassment lawsuits filed in recent weeks similarly allege workers were not offered sufficient training or support in situations in which they described facing sexual harassment.Barbara Johnson said she faced sexual harassment while working at a McDonald's in St. Louis as a homeless teenager in 2018. Johnson said a manager and another coworker verbally harassed her on the job, with the manager grabbing her breasts on what ended up being her last shift."Barbara felt sick to her stomach. She clocked out and went home before her shift ended," said the complaint, filed in December. "Barbara felt she had no choice but to quit.""She could not go back to the store," the complaint continued, after the manager assaulted her.Elsy Rodriguez said in a complaint filed in November that she faced physical and verbal harassment while working at a Los Angeles McDonald's, starting in 2015. She accused a maintenance worker at the McDonald's location of verbally harassing her, refusing to leave the bathroom while she was using it, and spanking her multiple times.The complaint said she reported the abuse to her kitchen manager and to two shift managers."None of these managers did anything to help Ms. Rodriguez, and the harassment continued," the complaint said.Rivers told Insider that the company's failure to take action when she attempted to report harassment was part of a wider pattern of McDonald's failing workers."They really don't care," Rivers said. "I've missed funerals working at McDonald's. I've missed a lot of stuff. I went in sick. They don't care as long as you're there."<h2>McDonald's is attempting to double down on values</h2><div type="image" title="Chris Kempczinski McDonald's" height="1487" width="1983" msid="80272497" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-file-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-against-mcdonalds-2020-4">Florida McDonald's workers filed a $500 million sexual-harassment lawsuit</a> against the company in 2020. A year prior, Michigan McDonald's workers filed a complaint alleging fast-food giant failed to address a "systemic problem" of harassment. Over the past four years, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sued-by-ex-hamburger-university-employee-2020-11">McDonald's employees have filed</a> more than 50 sexual-harassment complaints.In addition to the hotline, McDonald's rolled out a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-rolls-out-new-training-to-combat-workplace-violence-2019-8">new training program to address harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence in 2019</a>.McDonald's has publicly reemphasized corporate values under CEO Chris Kempczinski, who was promoted to chief executive in late 2019.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-doubles-down-on-values-in-the-wake-of-controversy-2020-9">McDonald's HR looks into new training and hiring processes to emphasize corporate values, as the fast-food giant faces controversies</a>Kempczinski's predecessor, Steve Easterbrook, was terminated after an investigation into the CEO's relationship with a subordinate. In August, McDonald's sued Easterbrook, alleging that he covered up three additional sexual relationships with employees at the fast-food chain.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-mcdonalds-ex-ceo-steve-easterbrook-2020-9">Insiders reveal how former McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook went from the chain's savior to its worst nightmare as sex-scandal accusations threaten to envelop the fast-food giant</a>A group of McDonald's investors, led by CtW Investment Group, have called for McDonald's to oust two senior members of its corporate board, saying that the directors mismanaged the response to Easterbrook's conduct."The board hasn't been able to take decisive action," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-investor-ctw-calls-for-resignation-of-chairman-2020-12">CtW Investment Group's executive director, Dieter Waizenegger, told Insider in December</a>. "Issues started to fester. They can erupt and create much larger crises further on."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-investor-ctw-calls-for-resignation-of-chairman-2020-12">McDonald's investor explains why he and others are calling for the resignation of the fast-food giant's chairman</a>McDonald's also conducted a "top-to-bottom" review of its HR department after Heidi Capozzi was hired as global chief people officer in April. Capozzi's predecessor, David Fairhurst, was fired the day after Easterbrook was terminated. His termination was tied to his behavior making women at the company uncomfortable, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/david-fairhust-former-head-of-hr-at-mcdonalds-under-scrutiny-2020-8">Capozzi said in an internal meeting in 2020</a>.

McDonald's slammed with 3 new sexual-harassment lawsuits as workers say the fast-food giant failed to protect them on the job

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52d7f1596da8118c0e3574b6-1285/seth-macfarlane-oscars-host-5.png" alt="Seth MacFarlane Oscars host" data-mce-source="Getty">Getty</img></div></div></div>A joke Seth MacFarlane made&#xa0;during&#xa0;the announcement of the Academy Award nominees in 2013 is going viral again after the wave of sexual harassment and assault accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.In a bit with Emma Stone at the time, MacFarlane, who was hosting the program, jokingly addressed the nominees for best supporting actress, and said,&#xa0;"Congratulations, you five ladies no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein."On Wednesday,&#xa0;MacFarlane revealed that the joke was prompted by a friend's story of alleged sexual harassment at the hands of Weinstein."In 2011, my friend and colleague Jessica Barth, with whom I worked on the Ted films, confided in me regarding her encounter with Harvey Weinstein and his attempted advances," <a href="https://twitter.com/SethMacFarlane/status/918193451006431232">MacFarlane tweeted</a>. "She has since courageously come forward to speak out. It was with this account in mind that, when I hosted the Oscars in 2013, I couldn't resist the opportunity to take a hard swing in his direction. Make no mistake, this came from a place of loathing and anger. There is nothing more abhorrent and indefensible than abuse of power such as this."On Wednesday, Barth urged people not to judge MacFarlane for making&#xa0;a joke&#xa0;instead of&#xa0;more directly addressing Weinstein's behavior. "To the people slamming Seth for not 'doing' anything, please stop!" <a href="https://twitter.com/_jessicabarth_/status/918199805905719296">Barth tweeted</a>. "He stood by me and respected my wishes that he not retaliate in any way."Barth <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/from-aggressive-overtures-to-sexual-assault-harvey-weinsteins-accusers-tell-their-stories">told The New Yorker</a> that Weinstein invited her to a "business meeting"&#xa0;at the Peninsula hotel in 2011,&#xa0;where he&#xa0;"alternated between offering to cast her in a film and demanding a naked massage in bed.""I respect and applaud my friend Jessica and those sharing their stories for their decision to come forward, and for being champions of the truth," <a href="https://twitter.com/sethmacfarlane/status/918193451006431232">MacFarlane tweeted</a>.<h2>Here's a video of the bit:</h2><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/KCNvREKTnQc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-robbins-workout-routine-video-fiji-hot-cold-plunge-2017-10">I worked out with Tony Robbins - and it was 10 minutes of pure torture</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/nNkRMsjb-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

Seth MacFarlane says his 2013 Harvey Weinstein Oscars joke was made in 'loathing' after a friend's account of sexual harrasment

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47459197.cms" /> 
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sacked three officials after members of the women’s national team alleged they were asked to perform sexual favours to keep their places. 
 
The Sri Lanka cricket’s governing body terminated three officials after two were found guilty of sexual harassment and the third of improper conduct. 
 
The SLC said they were shown the door at the end of their contracts last month. 
 
“There was no evidence of any physical intimacy by any of the three men, none of whom have been named. But the investigation had nevertheless determined that there have been a few incidents of sexual harassment which were committed by two male officials and that the third was guilty of improper conduct... which did not amount to sexual harassment," the body said in a statement. 
 
Sri Lanka sports ministry’s inquiry had found two team managers demanded sexual favours from team members and said that criminals prosecutions would follow. 
 
As per the island nation’s law, anyone found guilty of sexual harassment can face up to five years of imprisonment plus an unspecified fine. 
 
The board said its own report and the inquiry by the sports ministry had highlighted the unsatisfactory situation involving the women's team where there was favouritism and bias. 
 
The SLC added that the reports commented adversely on the failure to ensure that a female manager handles the women's cricket team and they would take appropriate action to rectify management issues. 
 
However, no charges have been brought against any official so far. 
 
Sri Lankan Minister Rosy Senanayake termed the incident as shameful and said she was following the case closely.

Now a sex scandal is burning down Sri Lankan cricket

Uber has fired more than 20 employees as part of its internal proble into sexual harrasment at the company, according a Bloomberg report citing an anonymous source on Tuesday. Developing... <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jins-screen-computer-glasses-blue-light-filter-review-2017-3">I wear these computer glasses every day even though I have perfect vision - here's why</a></h3> Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Uber fired more than 20 employees as part of its sex harassment probe

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57a212c9ce38f245188b46e9-2000/colbert%20trump.jpg" alt="colbert trump" data-mce-source="CBS; Alex Wong/Getty Images">CBS; Alex Wong/Getty ImagesStephen Colbert and Donald Trump.</img></div></div></div>In a searing,&#xa0;eight-minute monologue on Tuesday night's "Late Show," Stephen Colbert ripped into Donald Trump for his most recent series of public gaffes - the combination of which has <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/08/donald-trumps-campaign-might-actually-implode.html">reportedly left his campaign&#xa0;on the verge of imploding</a>.&#xa0;Colbert started the show by criticizing&#xa0;Trump's response to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/more-women-claim-roger-ailes-sexually-harassed-them-2016-7">the resignation of Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes</a>, following claims of sexual harrasment from more than 10&#xa0;of his female employees.&#xa0;"When asked how he would feel if his daughter, Ivanka, were sexual harrassed," Colbert pointed out,&#xa0;"Trump said, 'I would like to think she would find another career or find another company if that was the case.'"The "Late Show" host&#xa0;alluded to the fact&#xa0;that Ivanka wouldn't be the victim of sexual assault since she's always worked for her father.&#xa0;Then, pushing his criticism further, Colbert&#xa0;cut to a clip of Trump from 2006, with the current Republican presidential nominee saying, "If Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her."&#xa0;Over the course of the monologue, Colbert joked about a number of Trump's other recent missteps - including his <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-purple-heart-barney_us_57a0fabee4b08a8e8b5fdbf6">boasting about receiving&#xa0;a Purple Heart from a veteran</a>&#xa0;while Trump himself avoided the Vietnam War draft, his <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/760299757206208512">tweeting a picture of eating KFC with silverware&#xa0;on an airplane</a>, and finally, his <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/02/politics/donald-trump-ashburn-virginia-crying-baby/">decision to kick a crying baby out of&#xa0;one of his rallies</a>.&#xa0;"Get out of here, you crying baby!" Colbert mocked Trump. "If that crying baby wants to stay here, it&#xa0;needs to act like an adult. Because when we adults listen to Trump, we weep silently."&#xa0;Watch the segment&#xa0;below.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hsVzVlLdqfo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-stewart-late-show-donald-trump-republicans-fox-news-cbs-2016-7">Jon Stewart just ranted against Republicans who have praised Trump for the same things they have bashed Obama on</a></h3> <div> <div> <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Nkb3V2NDE6xhTFntMQ8ie3gHpRhZZudM" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> <script> if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; } RunFunctions.push(function() { var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'Nkb3V2NDE6xhTFntMQ8ie3gHpRhZZudM',{ autoplay: 'false' }); }); </script> <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div> </div> <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script> </div>

You Searched For "sexual harrasment" and got 11 results

Elon Musk was dating Amber Heard and finalizing a divorce around the time he's said to have sexually harassed a SpaceX flight attendant

Cheryl Teh

Andrew Cuomo allies are trying to make contact with Biden officials but are getting ignored, report says

Bill Bostock

Florida GOP head reportedly under investigation over allegations he sexually harassed a male aide

Natalie Musumeci

2 more women, including a former Albany reporter, come forward to accuse Gov. Andrew Cuomo of harassment and toxic behavior

Grace Panetta

New details emerge from Cuomo's 6th accuser, claiming he 'aggressively groped her in a sexually charged manner'

Erin Snodgrass

The accusation against Joe Biden has Democrats rediscovering the value of due process

Anthony L. Fisher

McDonald's slammed with 3 new sexual-harassment lawsuits as workers say the fast-food giant failed to protect them on the job

Kate Taylor

Seth MacFarlane says his 2013 Harvey Weinstein Oscars joke was made in 'loathing' after a friend's account of sexual harrasment

Nathan McAlone

Now a sex scandal is burning down Sri Lankan cricket

BI India Bureau

Uber fired more than 20 employees as part of its sex harassment probe

Alexei Oreskovic

Stephen Colbert savagely attacks Donald Trump for his latest gaffes

John Lynch