Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Accused of Sexual Harassment

RadioOnFire.com - Two-term mayor of Denver, Michael Hancock, has issued a statement apologizing to a former staffer whose come forward with claims of sexual harassment that date back some years.

Prior to becoming a detective, Leslie Branch-Wise worked in Hancock's security detail during his first year in office. While proud to have served the city's top official, Branch-Wise said she has never lived down having become "physically sick" over flirtatious advances that the mayor made towards her which she characterizes as "extremely scary."

The incidents cited by Branch-Wise occurred between the years 2011 and 2012 and did not include any unwanted physical contact. But as a married woman and a subordinate to whom his passes came off as imposing, such remarks as "You look sexy in all black," and "You made it hard on a brotha to keep it correct everyday," were enough to make for a demoralizing work environment, she says.

Branch-Wise reportedly will not pursue legal action against Hancock, as she did against an aide of his who she sued for sexual harassment in 2012. Rather, she saw the need to tell her truth as a means of closure, and for the sake of informing the public. She couldn't say that doing so was very easy either. Branch-Wise has expressed that as a member of the Denver Police Department, fear of reprisal from Hancock's supporters on the force is part of the reason she didn't expose the allegations earlier.

“If you are down here and your boss is up here and he’s showering you with these inappropriate texts and sayings and making you feel uncomfortable, who do you tell if he’s at the top?” she is reported as having told reporters. “It’s crushing.”

Hancock was forthcoming in his apology, stating: “Six years ago, when Detective Leslie Branch-Wise was on my detail, we became friends and I blurred the lines between being a friend and being a boss ... Our text exchanges became too casual, too familiar, and last week I learned, after six years, that they hurt her and offended her. … I am here to accept the responsibility for that and to apologize.”

Source: nypost.com