Women of AG scandal, state settle

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Cindy Stankoski

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Vanessa Stout

By Marc Kovac

The lawyer for the two originally had asked for $400,000 for each of his clients.

COLUMBUS — The two women whose allegations of sexual harassment started the scandal that led to former Attorney General Marc Dann’s resignation have settled with the state.

Cindy Stankoski, 27, and Vanessa Stout, 26, agreed to accept $247,500 each — totals that also will have to cover their attorney fees.

Both agreed to resign from the attorney general’s office. Stout, formerly of Masury in Trumbull County, left in mid-December, while Stankoski submitted her resignation Wednesday.

In a joint statement, Attorney General Richard Cordray and Rex Elliott, attorney for Stout and Stankoski, said the settlement puts “to rest a series of events that was unbecoming of the leadership of the attorney general’s office and difficult for the two women who showed courage in turning a spotlight upon it.”

They added, “Ohioans should be able to count upon ethical conduct by the individuals entrusted with conducting the people’s business. By bringing to light wrongdoing and a fundamental disrespect for that public trust, Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout played an important role in creating an opportunity to restore professionalism to the Ohio Attorney General’s office. We believe that what happened to them was wrong and regret the difficulties they have experienced.”

Stout and Stankoski filed complaints against a manager hand-picked by Dann, alleging sexual harassment.

An internal investigation substantiated the complaints and prompted the firing of two employees, the forced resignation of a third and a legislated investigation by the state’s inspector general.

In a statement Wednesday, Dann said, “I respect the right of the attorney general to make decisions such as the decision to settle this case today. However, while I am sympathetic to the challenges that these women faced, in my view the facts do not support a payout of this magnitude.”

The inspector general’s report, released in late December, alleged cronyism and “hiring missteps,” sexual harassment and other improper activities, and wrongdoing under Dann’s leadership. It also raised questions about Dann’s use of campaign finances.

Dann admitted he had an affair with an underling. He has vehemently denied criminal wrongdoing in the matter, however.

The settlement is lower than that proposed by Elliott last year. In a letter to then-Attorney General Nancy Rogers, he asked for a “payment of $400,000 [for each woman] to cover the horrific nature of these circumstances and to somehow restore them to the position they would have been in had none of this occurred.”

It also asked that the women be transferred to comparable positions elsewhere in the attorney general’s office, provide written notice to other employees making it clear that retaliatory actions would not be tolerated, and allow time off for counseling, if needed.

mkovac@dixcom.com