Assistant attorney general files harassment complaint

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Leo Jennings

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Anthony Gutierrez

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Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann

By David Skolnick

An assistant attorney general filed an internal office complaint of sexual harassment against two former high-level staffers, fired in the wake of a scandal that led to the resignation of Marc Dann.

Jessica L. Urban, an assistant AG in the charitable law department, told The Vindicator on Wednesday that she’s “gone through some pretty horrible stuff.”

In the complaint filed Tuesday, Urban wrote she was sexually harassed by Leo Jennings III of Poland, the office’s former communications director; and Anthony Gutierrez of Liberty, the office’s ex-director of general services; when the two worked for Dann.

Urban, 30, told The Vindicator that she had a relationship with Jennings, 52, between September 2007 and this past March. Because of Jennings’ close friendship with Dann, a Democrat from Liberty Township, Urban said she “didn’t feel I could say ‘no’ [to the relationship] because there would have been repercussions,” such as being fired.

Attempts Wednesday to reach Jennings, who is married, were unsuccessful.

Urban added that Gutierrez “felt he could pressure me” to have a relationship. But, she said, Gutierrez’s friendship with Dann wasn’t as strong as the then-AG’s friendship with Jennings — so she was able to rebuff Gutierrez’s advances.

Urban said her future with the office is uncertain. “I’ll work at least for the short-term; at least through the investigation,” she said. “I’m willing to work with [the AG’s office] on a financial compensation” package.

Urban said she didn’t want to come forward about her relationship with Jennings while Dann was attorney general — he resigned May 14 — or when Tom Winters, the first assistant attorney general, ran the office from May 14-28. The governor has appointed Nancy Hardin Rogers as attorney general.

“I didn’t feel comfortable filing it or coming forward because of my fear of retaliation,” Urban said.

Jennings and Gutierrez were fired May 2.

Gutierrez lost his job after an investigation concluded he sexually harassed two of his subordinates, Vanessa Stout and Cindy Stankoski. Jennings was fired because the investigation determined he asked Urban to not tell investigators that the two arrived in the same vehicle to meet Gutierrez and Stankoski for dinner.

Since May, six other attorney general employees have filed complaints.

“Keep in mind that these are just complaints,” said Ted Hart, an attorney general spokesman. “We take these very seriously and we investigate them all.”

Among the complaints are those filed by Amanda Saxton, a general services assistant, and Erika Haske, the general services’ fixed asset manager.

The two complaints were filed against Stankoski and Stout for creating a hostile work environment.

Saxton and Haske had said during the internal investigation that they were “shocked” that Stankoski and Stout complained about Gutierrez.

Saxton and Haske said actions by the two other women make it very difficult for them to do their jobs.

“We don’t think there’s any validity to the complaints,” said John Camillus, co-legal counsel for Stankoski and Stout.