(WXYZ) — State Senator Peter Lucido has been ordered to participate in additional training after being accused of sexual harassment.
He will also be removed from the Michigan Senate Advice and Consent Committee.
In January, Michigan Advance reporter Allison Donahue said she was interviewing the state senator when he allegedly made a sexual innuendo in front of a group of high school boys.
According to Donahue, she asked Lucido to talk about the group, but he said he would wait until he was done with the group of boys, and then asked Donahue if she had heard of De La Salle. When she said she hadn't, he told her it was an all boys school.
He added, "You should hang around! You could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you," according to the Michigan Advance.
One week later, State Senator Mallory McMorrow filed a sexual harassment complaint against Lucido, stating that he "could see why" she beat her opponent in the election.
"He put his hand on my upper back. With fingers on my hips and and upper rear and held it there," she said.
Lucido apologized for the incident with Donahue and denied the alleged incident with McMorrow, calling it politically motivated.
Shortly after, a third woman accused Lucido of sexual harassment. Melissa Osborn, who works as a regulatory affairs specialist for a trade group, said Lucido commented on her appearance and clothes while visually scanning her body and touching the region she described as "my lower back/upper butt."
After the allegations came forward, the Senate Business Office launched an investigation.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said Lucido's conduct was found to be "inappropriate workplace behavior."
“In January, I directed the Senate to retain outside counsel to lead an investigation into several allegations made against Senator Lucido," Shirkey said in a statement. "Outside counsel and the Senate Business Office undertook a thorough and exhaustive investigation into allegations made against the senator and found the senator’s conduct to be ‘inappropriate workplace behavior.’
"We place a high priority on ensuring the senate is a safe work environment. We endeavor to foster a culture where senators, staff, and members of the public feel comfortable and secure to interact with one another, free from inappropriate behavior. We have a responsibility to be aware of how our words and actions are received, regardless of intent or interpretation," Shirkey said.
"We take accusations of inappropriate behavior in the workplace very seriously. It is my sincere hope that this experience will help serve as motivation for us all to do better and be better in our personal interactions and our public discourse.
"The Senate will release a summary of the findings to provide the public with an overview of the scope of the investigation and the effort undertaken to ensure a fair and thorough process. In the coming weeks, the Senate will announce a bipartisan workgroup comprised of senators and staff to review our current policies and offer possible suggestions for improvement."
"Personally, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the individuals who participated in the investigation. In the spirit of continuous improvement, their willingness to share their experiences has helped ensure a comprehensive and impartial process from which we will all benefit,” Shirkey said.
Read the full investigation report below:
Lucido investigation report by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
