Fire Commissioner Faces Sexual Harassment Charges

By Staff in News on Mar 6, 2010 10:00PM

Chicago Fire Commissioner John Brooks started his extended vacation on Friday so the Office of Compliance can complete an investigation into sexual harassment allegations. Deidre Green, a payroll auditor for the Chicago Fire Department, claims Brooks made repeated phone call to her from July 2008 to October 2008 and made lewd comments in the workplace, the Sun Times reported. After refusing his advances, Green was place on the layoff list, but was done so because she had the lowest seniority, Brooks said. He denied the allegations, telling the Sun-Times, "I do not proposition women. I don't have to. Women usually proposition me. God has blessed me like that."

Female aldermen and a women's rights advocacy group found Brooks's comments, "inappropriate, intemperate and insensitive," the Sun Times also reported. But on female alderman - Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) - defended Brooks.

She defended Brooks as a “single man” who’s free to pursue any woman he wants and condemned the African-American underling’s charges as “the biggest farce I’ve ever heard.”

“I’m taken aback. Everybody who’s going out the door is African-American: [fired Deputy Water Commissioner] Tom Talley, Anthony Boswell and now John Brooks,” Austin said. “Is there just a target on African-Americans only — and all with bogus charges? This is all trumped-up stuff.”

Also in hot water is the Commissioner of the Office of Compliance, Anthony Boswell, who is already serving a 30-day suspension for allegedly mishandling an intern's sexual harassment claim against a 911 Center deputy. Boswell, a friend of Brooks, is also accused by an unidentified source of trying to spike the investigation of Green's claims, according to the Sun Times.

Post by: Sean Stillmaker