THE BRONX — Bronx City Councilman Andy King has been accused by a staffer of making inappropriate and sexually suggestive comments to her, according to multiple reports.
King is a five-year council member who has focused on issues of civil rights and young people, but Friday morning he is expected to be in front of his City Council colleagues for a very different hearing — one that could see him fired or paying a fine.
In a rare move, the Standards and Ethics committee is expected to meet Friday behind closed doors, in a session not open to the public or the press.
It’s believed they will be investigating the validity of these harassment allegations, reported by news outlets including the New York Times and NY Daily News, citing sources.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito on Thursday confirmed the rare ethics committee hearing, saying in a statement,
“Any issues and concerns regarding … sexual harassment are taken seriously in this council and we look forward to the hearing that will happen.”
If the committee finds King broke the council rules, the council could move to expel him, hit him with a fine, or reprimand or remove his committee assignments.
The Council has refused to make public any details of the probe, nor will it officially confirm the target.
King is no stranger to controversy; his tenure has had more notable scandals.
The former child protective services caseworker had to deal previously with sexual harassment allegations in 2015, when a former staffer notified she would be suing for more than a million dollars. She’d alleged he created a hostile work environment and intimidated her and then fired her.
He’s also been fined for campaign finance infractions, including using funds to pay for his wife’s expenses. Those fines totaled some $17,000.
