Governor Grisham defends settling harassment case after ‘grabbing staffer’s crotch’ as she’s been ‘focused on pandemic
NEW Mexico Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham has defended her decision to settle with an ex-campaign staffer after she allegedly sexually harassed him.
The 61-year-old mom-of-two has paid at least $62,500 to James Hallinan, a 2018 campaign spokesman, who claimed she once dropped water in his lap and then grabbed his crotch in a pre-election meeting.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s (pictured in March) campaign has paid $62,500 to settle sexual mistreatment claims[/caption] Hallinan first made accusations against the Democratic governor in late 2019[/caption]Despite the payout, the governor has denied the allegations.
Describing the decision to settle, she told the reporters: “I was focused on the pandemic, and I’ll stand by that decision [to settle] every minute of every day.”
Asked whether there have been any other financial settlements and nondisclosure agreements of a similar nature, the governor said no.
Lujan Grisham’s political committee paid at least $62,500 to an attorney for Hallinan.
Payments were made in five monthly installments to a law firm representing Hallinan, who now runs a public relations and political consulting firm.
The governor previously issued a denial of Hallinan’s public allegations through a campaign spokesman.
I’ve been open and transparent and will continue to do that
Lujan Grisham, New Mexico Gov
It is unclear whether Hallinan’s harassment accusations ever were independently vetted.
She said: “I have not seen anywhere in the country where there’s an independent investigation over an employment claim.
“I’ve been open and transparent and will continue to do that.”
Lujan Grisham said those are not issues you find anywhere in this administration, and noted that there was no substantiation of Hallinan’s claims by witnesses.
The incident allegedly took place at the home of state Rep. Deborah Armstrong, a former campaign treasurer and private business partner to Lujan Grisham.
Armstrong has said she never witnessed anything inappropriate.
Hallinan tweeted that the Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was ‘not above the law’[/caption]Most read in News
State campaign finance regulators say that the settlement payments from a political campaign account are permissible because they involve an employment dispute related to Hallinans time with the governor’s election campaign.
The governor’s office and campaign have declined to say whether further payment is still due to Hallinan.
It comes as Multiple sexual harassment and groping allegations against Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have prompted an investigation by that state’s attorney general and are included in a probe by the New York Assembly into possible impeachment charges.