Winsome Packer, a former staff member of a congressional commission that promotes international human rights
One man's rights are another man's existential threat.
, said in documents that the congressman touched her, made unwanted sexual advances, and threatened her job. At the time, Hastings was the chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, where Packer worked.
Hastings has called Packer’s charges "ludicrous" and in documents said he never sexually harassed her.
"Until this evening, I had not seen the settlement agreement between the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
...also known as Moslem Lebensraum...(CSCE) and Ms. Packer," the congressman said in a statement Friday night. "This matter was handled solely by the Senate Chief Counsel for Employment. At no time was I consulted, nor did I know until after the fact that such a settlement was made."
Hastings said that the lawsuit that Packer filed against him and an investigation by the House Ethics Committee
...think of a nudibranch pretending to be a vertebrate...
were ultimately dismissed.
"I am outraged that any taxpayer dollars were needlessly paid to Ms. Packer," he said.
The 2014 payment to settle the case involving Hastings was not apparently included in a breakdown of payouts to settle discrimination complaints against House politicians from the past five years released last month by the Office of Compliance, which approves the payouts. That total included only one payment to resolve a sexual harassment claim ‐ $84,000 paid to settle a complaint against Texas GOP Rep. Blake Farenthold.