Pol harass slap

Councilman axed from panel in staffer sex complaint

A Queens City Councilman blew kisses at a city employee, commented on her weight and paid unwanted attention to her — including singling her out for hugs and kisses at public events, according to an ethics committee finding released Thursday.

The councilman, Barry Grodenchik, 59, was immediately removed from the Council budget negotiating team ahead of a disciplinary hearing that could result in him being stripped of his Parks and Recreation Committee leadership spot.

The woman told Council investigators that over the course of a year Grodenchik (photo) lavished unwanted attention on her, which City Council Standards and Ethics Committee Chairman Steven Matteo said violated anti-discrimination and harassment rules.

The woman said that Grodenchik commented that she had lost weight, repeatedly singled her out for a hug and a kiss on the cheek in a group setting and, finally, at a work meeting, the councilman blew a kiss to the her from across a table and then, at the conclusion of the gathering, walked around the table and gave her a hug and a kiss.

The Queens Village councilman vehemently denied the city staffer’s charge.

Grodenchik, a Democrat, said that he recalled one January meeting with the woman in which he shook hands and hugged staffers after they had worked hard to complete a piece of legislation regarding the city parks, but aside from that he did not focus on the woman.

“It is never my intention to make any person feel uncomfortable, and I sincerely apologize if my actions had that effect. For me, as is true for many of my colleagues, a hug is a common greeting for people I have known for a long time, but as others do not feel that way, I will certainly be more sensitive to that in the future,” Grodenchik said in an email.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson moved quickly to punish the councilman, booting him from the budget negotiating team until the disciplinary proceeding is completed.

“No one should ever be made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace and singled out for unwanted attention,” said Johnson. “The Standards & Ethics Committee investigated and deliberated over this matter very carefully.”

Grodenchik slammed Johnson for his response.

“The speaker’s actions in my case are an overreaction, with an excessive punishment that is harmful to this body,” he said.