Ex-deputy mayor who was found to have sexually harassed 2 women also behaved inappropriately with 3 others, report says

A former D.C. deputy mayor found to have sexually harassed two employees had an MO and behaved inappropriately with three other women, according to an independent investigation report obtained by News4.

John Falcicchio sexually harassed the two women when he was Mayor Muriel Bowser’s chief of staff and deputy mayor, according to the investigation authorized by the D.C. Council. The Council received the report Friday.

Evidence “strongly suggests Mr. Falcicchio had a modus operandi” when trying to “initiate sexual relationships with these subordinates,” the report says. But there was no evidence of retaliation or hiring preference by the former deputy mayor.

The report also found while Bowser’s legal counsel “acted with integrity,” Bowser should have considered “independent investigators by other D.C. government entities or law enforcement" and it "should not have been conducted internally.” The second complainant's allegations "should have triggered at minimum greater consideration of involving law enforcement.”

Bowser did not try to influence investigators, the reports says.

The mayor declined to speak about any details in the report Monday.

“I’ve said throughout that we’ve learned lessons from this incident and how sorry I am that any of our employees were harmed,” she said.

The report wasn’t shared with the public, but Councilmember Brianne Nadeau is going to release a redacted version approved by lawyers.

“There's some really important information that I'm hoping we can release to the public about the process and what our government could have done differently or better and what we can do in the future to ensure that there are not additional issues,” she said.

The report also reveals three more women with whom Falcicchio engaged in various types of inappropriate behavior.

“Not surprisingly, it does provide some additional information about people who were impacted by Mr. Falcicchio's actions, and the best thing that we can say is that he no longer works in this government,” Nadeau said.

The District reached a settlement of almost $500,000 with the two employees, News4 first reported last week. The report cost D.C. Taxpayers approximately $750,000, bringing the total costs of the Falcicchio claims to more than $1 million, so far.

Attorneys for the two employees whose accusations prompted Falcicchio’s resignation and the investigation released a statement Monday evening saying they were upset someone leaked the report before their clients could see it.

"Our understanding is that this $749,600 report outlined an abusive pattern of behavior from a powerful man but somehow was unable to substantiate retaliation for refusing his advances,” the statement says. “It's unacceptable that our clients have had to endure investigations for more than a year only to have a report leaked without any warning.”