Politico‘If I kissed that one, would it lead to more?’ US housing chief investigated for sexual harassment
Mel Watt, the regulator of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, was accused of asking an employee about a tattoo on her ankle, saying, ‘If I kissed that one would it lead to more?’
This story is being published by the South China Morning Post as part of a content partnership with POLITICO. It was reported by Victoria Guida, Katy O’Donnell and Lorraine Woellert, and originally appeared on politico.com on July 27, 2018.
Mel Watt, the powerful regulator of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of an employee.
A Federal Housing Finance Agency staffer accused Watt, the FHFA director, of repeatedly making inappropriate sexual advances when she tried to discuss career and salary concerns.
The conversations included a 2016 meeting during which Watt steered the conversation into a discussion of his feelings for the woman, according to documents and partial transcripts obtained by POLITICO. In a separate encounter, Watt asked about a tattoo on her ankle, saying, “If I kissed that one would it lead to more?”
The employee’s lawyer, Diane Seltzer Torre, confirmed the investigation after POLITICO received copies of the documents related to the case.
The employee has filed an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint.