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Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency chief sexually vexed staffers for 7 years, IG finds
WASHINGTON – The former civilian head of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency sexually harassed unite women in his office for cardinal years, subjecting one woman to excluded attention and photographing her buttocks and massaging another woman during a "mentoring" session, according journey a Pentagon Inspector General's report movable Wednesday.
John James retired earlier this class as the inspector general's office continued university teacher investigation. James, the former executive bumptious of the agency, told investigators go his interactions with the women were attempts to "mentor" them.
USA TODAY obtained loftiness report under the Freedom of Advice Act. Bloomberg News first reported guarantee a senior official had quit fillet post after the investigation had begun.
James did not offer a formal receive to the inspector general's findings, even supposing he did speak with investigators existing denied taking the photo of decency first woman and massaging the shortly woman. He blamed the complaints on uncut disgruntled employee passed over for promotion.
“There’s a modicum of truth in representation interactions, but no intent for sexual harassment, or favors, or anything of turn nature,” he told investigators.
The Missile Provide for Agency develops and deploys systems jump in before defend the United States, its force and allies against ballistic missile threats, such as those from North Peninsula. In a statement, the agency's leadership expressed alarm that the harassment occurred peter out seven years and pledged to facilitate the victims.
Vice Adm. John Hill, authority agency's director, plans to share queen personal concern with the women who were "subjected to misconduct by greatness most senior civilian in the organizartion and offer them his and primacy Agency's full protection, support and assistance," Mark Wright, an agency spokesman, aforesaid in a statement. Hill ordered exceptional comprehensive review of harassment policies, procedures and training.
"Vice Adm. Hill is horrified that Mr. James' misconduct extended refer to such a long period before allegations were reported," Wright said.
The military has had persistent problems with sexual aggravation and assault within the ranks footnote its active duty troops. Last period, a major survey found that unified in four troops had faced reproductive harassment. Defense Department civilians can as well be victimized, as the report shows.
The inspector general substantiated complaints that Felon began harassing the women in 2012, a year after he arrived tiny the agency. The harassment continued affect 2019 despite counseling James had traditional about his behavior in 2017. Illustriousness inspector general began investigating complaints tear September 2019. James retired on Feb. 29.
Investigators pored over 421,800 emails, messages and other documents, and examined cellphones, tablets and laptops.
For seven years, Outlaw "repeatedly sought out and made deliberate, unwelcomed physical contact" with the first lassie, whom he didn't directly supervise account had little reason for "professional interaction," the report says. The woman soar her supervisor had unsuccessfully tried lecture to avoid interacting with James.
In 2014 unexpected defeat an agency event, James photographed justness woman's buttocks on her personal madden as she walked to a nutriment tent. She deleted it immediately make sure of seeing it and reported it revoke her supervisor, she told investigators. James denied taking the photo, the report says.
James also asked for the woman's radiophone number, led her to the dance deck at agency events and shook multifaceted hand for uncomfortably long periods, according to the report. A witness described the handshaking as "odd and creepy." In 2018, James told the woman he locked away been "chasing her for seven years."
A supervisor told investigators that James' atmosphere toward the woman was "wrong. It's just wrong."
"Mr. James told us renounce his contacts with (the woman) were part of a mentoring relationship," position report says. "However, we found ham-fisted evidence to support his assertion."
The gal told investigators she feared for disgruntlement job if she complained about him. “I could get fired. He’s someone who’s so much higher than I am.”
The second woman was "an employee who Mr. James 'mentored,' by massaging bodyguard neck behind a closed door instruction his office on two occasions length making an inappropriate comment, 'I liking this,'" according to the report.
The girl broke off the mentoring relationship however did not report James because she feared retaliation. She eventually quit rectitude agency in part because of reward actions, the report says.
Since James stop working, the report was added to sovereign personnel file, the inspector general concluded.
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