WASHINGTON (7News) — An investigation has concluded former D.C. Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio sexually harassed a female employee, according to findings released over the weekend.
The conclusion of the report released Saturday from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of Legal Counsel (MOLC) found that allegations lodged against Falcicchio by the employee “more likely than not constituted sexual harassment as defined and prohibited by Mayor’s Order 2017-313.”
According to the document, a sexual harassment officer began an investigation on March 10.
The investigator in the case reviewed “thousands of emails and other communications, including screenshot messages,” and by May 11, had completed 32 interviews with 21 people who were current and former city employees or may have had knowledge related to allegations, according to the report. Three of such interviews were with the employee who filed the first complaint.
Falcicchio declined to participate in the investigation, the document stated. The officer provided the report to the MOLC Director and Deputy Director, who reviewed the allegations and findings and handed the report over to Bowser.
Read a copy of the summary of findings here or see below:
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The complaint alleges that in two separate incidents on Sept. 28 and Oct. 2 of 2022, Falcicchio “made physical, sexual advances toward an employee while she was in his apartment.” She alleged she was subjected to “unwelcome touching of a sexual nature” from Falcicchio during both incidents and that he exposed himself to her during the second incident, the report concluded.
The woman also alleged that soon after her first physical encounter with Falcicchio on Sept. 28, he sent her “thousands of messages via the instant messaging application, Snapchat, on her personal cell phone.” The messages were unwanted and allegedly contained sexually-charged material, including “demands for sex and a graphic video.”
The complainant said Falcicchio used the office “as his dating ground,” and proffered the names of 11 current and former District employees rumored to have engaged in sexual conduct with him. Of those 11 people, investigators said four denied allegations that “attraction-based favoritism” occurred and the remaining seven either declined to participate, did not respond or could not be contacted. These complaints were found to be unsubstantiated.
On March 17, mere days following the start of the investigation, Falcicchio suddenly and without clear explanation left Bower’s administration.
Later that month, a second D.C. government employee came forward, accusing Falcicchio of sexual harassment. The same attorneys representing the first D.C. employee who alleged sexual misconduct against Falcicchio released a statement that they were representing another employee who is reporting “a longstanding pattern of sexual harassment and predatory behavior by Mr. Falcicchio.”
RELATED | Second DC employee files sexual harassment complaint against Fmr. Deputy Mayor Falcicchio
Following Falcicchio’s resignation, Bowser appointed Keith Anderson, former Director of the D.C. Department of General Services (DGS), as Interim Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development and Lindsey Parker as Chief of Staff.
Falcicchio left the Bowser administration just months after Chris Geldart, the former Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice resigned following assault charges.
7News has reached out to Bowser’s office for comment on the report’s findings. This story will be updated.
