Rhode Island Dem lawmaker accused of sexual harassment during anti-sexual harassment training
When instructor was talking about asking for sexual favors at work, state Representative is quoted as saying, “How do you do that?”
Welcome to my home State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Rhode Island lawmakers are undergoing anti-sexual harassment training after a female lawmaker alleged she was told she could get legislations passed if she slept with the right people.
The training seemed to go well, with one exception.
One of the male Democrat lawmakers is accused of making sexually harassing comments during the training. He says he was misunderstood because of his heavy accent.
News 10 reports:
Instead of satisfying concerns about sexual harassment, a training session for Rhode Island lawmakers may have raised more controversy.
The training on Wednesday was the same that is given to state workers, and it included diversity training as well as how to act with members of the opposite sex.
Most of the representatives attended, including Teresa Tanzi, who brought the issue to light in October when she told the Providence Journal that she’d been told sexual favors might get her bills passed.
During the training, at a moment when the instructor was talking about asking for sexual favors at work, state Rep. Ramon Perez of Providence is quoted in the Journal as saying, “How do you do that?”
State Rep. Moira Walsh, a Providence Democrat, said she was offended by the question.
“I’m deeply disappointed and am seeking the help of my leadership team in determining, how to proceed,” Walsh told NBC 10 News.
Perez said in a statement Thursday that he has a heavy accent and that he was misunderstood.
GoLocalProv adds:
Rhode Island State Representative Ramon Perez is being accused of inappropriate behavior during sexual harassment training by fellow State Representative Moira Walsh on Wednesday night.
“Sexual harassment training at the state house went really well. Well, except for the male colleague, who when it was explained that it was abhorrent to ask for sexual favors, piped up to say, “How do you do that exactly?” said Walsh about the comments by Perez.
Walsh confirmed to GoLocalProv that it was Ramon Perez. “It’s all on camera. I’m both disgusted and disappointed,” said Walsh.
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Comments
Count him as experienced already?
You say Walsh is an adult?
So the Democrats are now hold training conferences on how to sexually harass?
Silly me. I thought they were already “pros” at that!
Snark!
Years ago, the place where I worked announced that we were going to be trained in sexual harassment (yes, “in”).
We were joking that management wanted to make sure that if we were going to do it, we should do it right.
I guess they know what they are doing but a quick refresher course never hurts.
What he needs to learn is, THAT’S NOT FUNNY! In sexual harassment (or similar) training, NOTHING is funny. OK?
That, and if you ever have to take such “training” you want to maintain a low profile. For as they say, “anything you say can (and probably will) be used against you.” There is no upside here: nothing you could possibly say at such an event will ever make you look better.
Is there any evidence that sexual harassment training is effective? Well, no. Nonetheless, it remains a growth business.
So why is he being “trained,” anyway? Surely he wasn’t so stupid as to volunteer for this, was he?
Sorry about that down vote, it is too close to the reply thing. It is a kabuki exercise in futility.
Reportedly Walsh is a bit of a kook. Check with her “leadership team”? This is Rhode Island, what is she talking about? As I recall she’s the one who said her fellow legislators drink too much, which went over like a lead balloon. Remember, RI is not a state, it’s a state of mind.
Well,I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe ESL issue, whatever.. so I looked him up..
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/state-rep-apologizes-sharing-handout-porn-tabs-article-1.3238997
oops, bit of a history there. Maybe he really was being a smart ass.
LOL, Democratic state Rep. Ramon Perez is obviously a slow learner at the PC stuff.
I still cannot understand how the question constitutes sexual misconduct or harassment.
She has her problems.
http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/02/03/progressive-rhode-island-lawmaker-fired-from-waitress-job-over-anti-male-insults
NOooooo
I am very much a smart-ass at such training sessions, to exhibit my distain for them. I know it is not productive, but I still do it.
I have argued that my personal support for the KKK and the American Nazi Party is entitled to as much respect and tolerance as is the presenter’s support for same-sex marriage, racial equality (really preferences) and GLBTQ issues, and that if she doesn’t like it, tough shit. I may be obligated to attend such indoctrination classes, but I am not required to adopt the shit they present, nor to parrot it back. Provoke the presenter is more enjoyable than sitting there and trying to ignore the bullshit while reading briefs and depositions.
By the way, I am not a supporter of the KKK or the Nazi Party, but I really hate being forced to attend these classes.
In most workplace training sessions your behavior as you describe would be grounds for punishment by itself.
Bunch of irony-challenged idiots are in charge.
So, this all got started because a politician, who expects favors from special interests and constituents and other politicians to present, lobby and vote for legislation is somehow offended that someone suggested that favors from her, of a sexual nature for the same considerations? What alternate universe does this woman reside in?
The problem with the current workplace harassment training is that all the rules have seemingly changed. While behavior which has been adjudicated harassment still exists, a whole new dimension of activity has been added. what it all boils down to now is if a woman complains about anything than this constitutes harassment or inappropriate behavior. Unfortunately, the people most affected by this, men, were neither given a vote or even consulted. Welcome to the Great American Matriarchy.
Having been at training sessions resembling this, I can understand, particularly with the dialogue that frequently results.
Presenter: And under no circumstances can you say any of the words on our list.
Client: So what words are they?
Presenter: We can’t print them, because they’re so vile.
Client: Can you give us a hint?
Presenter: Well, the C word, and the P word, and of course the R word…
Client: Wow, that’s so much better.
she was told she could get legislations passed if she slept with the right people.
So, what’s the complaint? That she tried it and it didn’t work?
Or is she annoyed that somebody thought they had to tell her something she knew perfectly well already?
Sometime back in the 80s my husband and his office staff attended a sensitivity class in which sexual harassment was discussed. One middle-aged woman, who was very short and very Rubenesque, stood up and asked where she could get some of that sexual harassment. It lightened the mood in an otherwise tedious class, and everyone had a good laugh. Since then, the company has become so PC-strangled, I doubt any of its employees would be brave enough to say such a thing.
what’s being under-reported here is that Walsh, who puts the koran and the bible on the same plane, is a far-leftie and perez, a devout catholic, is a conservative democrat, and there is an ongoing battle now in RI by the progressives to purge conservatives from positions of power. perez for example opposed the successful progressive campaign to make ‘conversion therapy’ for gays illegal, even though it is seen by conservatives as a parents’ prerogative for their kids. one might see the current incident as payback using the me-too card.
I sincerely doubt that it will happen, but it’s possible that I will still be alive when the Muslims take over America.
If I am still alive, I’m going to LMAO when the liberals learn how the Muslims deal with sexual harassment in the work place. THEY FORM A LINE!
YES, that’s brutal…but I am sick and tired of ‘adult’ men and women wasting their time discussing this foolishness. If a man or woman was raped is one thing, but “He looked at me, and I felt bad…” is nothing but the manifestation of an adult shell inhabited by a 2 yr. old. American culture is showing signs of being more crippled and pathetic year by year.
Politics is the world’s 2nd oldest profession built upon transactional relationships, so why would ‘sex for votes’ be construed as sexual harrassment?
Oops. Did I say that out loud?
I’m old enough to remember when the malugnancy of feminism was scoffed at, and society agreed that men & women are different on many different levels. This blossomed the quaint notion that men should be gentlemen and women should be ladies with manners & respect as their common currency.
But now that it’s twice upon a time, it’s the opposite.
It is a fair question and she is holding herself out as an expert.She should be able to answer the question.Feigned outrage is not an answer except for her.