More claims of sexual misconduct around the US

SAN FRANCISCO (NEWS 1130) – The Washington Post says nine more women allege they were subject to inappropriate sexual conduct or comments by a prominent U.S. appeals court judge.

In a story published Friday, the newspaper says the latest allegations against Judge Alex Kozinski of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals go back decades and include women who met him at events.

The allegations include inappropriate touching and lewd comments.

The newspaper reported last week that six former clerks or more junior staff members accused Kozinski of inappropriate behaviour, including showing them pornography.

In a statement through an attorney, Kozinski said many of the things being said about him were not true but that he deeply regretted his unusual sense of humour causing offence.

The 9th Circuit has opened a misconduct inquiry.

Panthers owner under investigation for workplace misconduct

The Carolina Panthers founder and owner Jerry Richardson is under investigation for workplace misconduct.

The team said Friday former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles is overseeing the investigation by a Los Angeles-based law firm.

Team spokesman Steven Drummond said in a release that the Panthers and the 81-year-old Richardson take these allegations very seriously and are fully committed to a full investigation and taking appropriate steps to address and remediate any misconduct.

“The entire organization is fully committed to ensuring a safe, comfortable and diverse work environment where all individuals, regardless of sex, race, colour, religion, gender, or sexual identity or orientation, are treated fairly and equally,” Drummond said in the release. “We have work to do to achieve this goal, but we are going to meet it.”

Richardson was unavailable for comment.

Drummond told The Associated Press because the matter is under legal review, the Panthers cannot comment publicly on the specifics of the allegations.

The Panthers made the NFL aware on Friday that it has initiated an investigation into Richardson’s alleged workplace misconduct.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league has no comment at this time. For more on this story, click here.

Major media players start commission for sexual misconduct

Meanwhile, some of the biggest figures and institutions in entertainment have established a commission to be chaired by Anita Hill that intends to combat sexual misconduct and inequality in the industry in the wake of the huge wave of revelations spurred by allegations against Harvey Weinstein.

A statement Friday announced the founding of the Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace, a group that grew out of a meeting called by “Star Wars” producer Kathleen Kennedy and several other prominent women in the industry.

“The Commission will not seek just one solution, but a comprehensive strategy to address the complex and interrelated causes of the problems of parity and power,” Kennedy said in a statement.

The chief executives of nearly every major Hollywood studio, TV network and record label attended the meeting and agreed to found and to fund the group, the statement said. The long list includes Disney CEO Bob Iger, Paramount CEO Karen Stuart, Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grange and CBS chief executive Leslie Moonves.

The movie and music academies and many of the major agencies and unions that represent entertainers also signed on.

“The fact that so many industry leaders across film, television, music, digital, unions, agencies … and guilds_came together, in one room, to explore solutions speaks to a new era,” Kennedy said.

The group chose as its chair the law professor Hill, who brought the concept of sexual harassment to national consciousness in 1991 when she testified during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas.

“It is time to end the culture of silence,” Hill said in a statement. “I’ve been at this work for 26 years. This moment presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to make real change.”

The commission said in its statement that it would reconvene immediately after the first of the year to hone its mission, scope and priorities.

The revelations about Weinstein in The New York Times and the New Yorker in October have brought on two months unlike any the media world has ever seen, with nearly daily allegations of sexual harassment assault and abuse that have ensnared some of the most prominent players in entertainment including Kevin Spacey, Louis CK, Dustin Hoffman and Russell Simmons.

Hill has been making appearances in Southern California in recent days before Friday’s announcement, speaking to a gathering of entertainers and executives in Beverly Hills last week.

She said there that she knew that despite Thomas’ confirmation to the Supreme Court, the issue would one day return.

“I never believed 1991 was the end,” she said, “and I was going to make sure in my life that I never saw that as the defining moment for me or for this issue.”

Sex misconduct policy changes

State lawmakers in Colorado and New Mexico have revised their sexual misconduct policies amid the wave of allegations, firings, and resignations of high-powered men across the country.

In Colorado, the vote was unanimous as lawmakers agreed to hire a consultant to review the legislature’s sexual harassment policy. With 42 per cent of its membership women, Colorado has the highest proportion of female legislaters in the country.

New Mexico lawmakers published the first draft of proposed revisions to sexual harassment rules and disciplinary procedures.