D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration has reached a settlement with two women who were found to have been sexually harassed by former deputy mayor John Falcicchio, News4 is first to report.
Falcicchio was the deputy mayor for planning and economic development and a longtime top aide to Bowser. He abruptly resigned last year.
The agreement includes payouts to the women and attorneys fees totaling about $500,000, sources familiar with the settlement told News4. According to the D.C. Office of Contracting and Procurement, the D.C. Council also authorized an investigation for $749,600, but that could come in lower once finalized
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In addition to the monetary payout to one of the women, both women were allowed to keep their government salaries and benefits for an unspecified amount of time, sources said.
The Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel (MOLC) confirmed that the complaints against Falcicchio had been settled but declined to disclose the terms.
“We can confirm that the MOLC, on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, has settled the two administrative complaints against the former Deputy Mayor. The confidentiality provisions in the agreements preclude us from disclosing the terms of the settlements, except as required by law,” a statement from the office said.
“We had a very tough situation in the government,” Bowser said Friday. “We had two of our employees that were harmed as a result. We've been expeditious in our investigation and we believe fair, and the matter is settled.”
The women’s lawyers, Debra Katz and Kayla Morin, said they could not discuss the settlement and that they hope their clients’ actions can help other District employees.
“We want to again praise the courage of our two clients who came forward to expose both Falcicchio's sexual harassment and the significant flaws in the D.C. government's sexual harassment policy that allowed his behavior to go unchecked for too long,” the attorneys’ statement said in part. “Their efforts, and the good that they did, led to significant policy changes in the D.C. government that we that we hope will improve the working conditions for city employees in the months and years to come.”
The women's lawyers issued a statement last summer calling Falcicchio’s actions part of a “disturbing and longstanding pattern of predatory behavior by one of the most powerful men in Washington.”
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D.C.’s inspector general delivered the results of its independent investigation of Falcicchio Friday. A spokesperson for D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau said she will consult with attorneys about what can be released to the public in the coming days. Sources tell News4 hard copies of the report were hand delivered to the mayor and councilmembers and no electronic copies were distributed.
Falcicchio resigned after the women made their allegations and has not made any public statements since leaving his position.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
