Esty says she is not resigning

Apologizes to former female employee

Rep Elizabeth Esty, under fire for ignoring a toxic workplace environment, says she will not resign.

But if she stays in office, Esty is bound to have a much tougher time seeking re-election to a fourth term in Congress.

While Esty took 26 of the 41 towns and cities in northwestern Connecticut’s 5th District in 2016, beating Republican Clay Cope, of Sherman, by nearly 38,600 votes, it could get much more competitive this year. In the era of #MeToo, she admitted to failing to provide a safe work environment while her chief of staff, Tony Baker, allegedly struck, harassed and threatened to kill a female employee — and others — in what she called a “pattern” of abuse before he was finally fired in the summer of 2016.

“First and foremost, let me say to this survivor that I am so sorry,” said Esty in a news release on Friday. She did not answer the door of her Cheshire home Friday afternoon.

“I am sorry that this incident in my office hurt her, her friends and family, and many of my present and former staffers,” the statement said.

Esty said she was “inspired” by the courage of Anna Kain, the now-29year-old alleged victim, to speak up.

“I want to support her and other survivors, because these people will continue to drive the conversation forward and ensure we implement the changes necessary both in Congress and, more broadly, to prevent this from happening again,” Esty wrote. “I must do better. We all must do better.”

Because of Esty’s high staff turnover

“I must do better. We all must do better.” Rep. Elizabeth Etsy

rate, a recent survey by Legi-Slate rated her office one of the worst for which to work.

A rating downgrade

Geoffrey Skelley, a political analyst at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said when the news of the office scandal emerged Thursday, they immediately moved the rating on Esty’s re-election from a “safe” Democratic seat, to “likely” Democrat after the fall election.

“It’s not like Esty herself is accused of perpetrating something,” he said in a Friday phone interview. “With the current mood on the left and #MeToo movement, we have to consider the chance that the race could be shaken up. It’s not impossible to imagine she might not run for re-election. Then again, she may run for re-election and be fine.”

Esty crushed Cope in the cities of Danbury, Meriden, New Britain, Waterbury and Torrington.

Skelley said it’s unlikely national Republicans, embattled in so many seats held by members of their

party, will have the resources to help Manny Santos, of Meriden, who appears to have the support to win endorsement at the May state GOP convention. Nationally, he said Democrats are poised to make big gains in the midterm elections.

It has been 10 years since Connecticut had a Republican in Congress: Christopher Shays of the 4th District. It has been 20 years since a Republican represented the 5th District.

But Santos, who was nearly unknown outside his district and home in Meriden, has gained name recognition as the Esty scandal emerged.

“There are two people that share the blame in this tragedy: Tony Baker, the abuser, and Elizabeth Esty, the boss,” Santos said. “The buck stops with Congresswoman Esty. More shocking is her decision to remain silent on the matter, even recommending Baker for another job, possibly subjecting others to similar abuse.”

Esty met with domestic-violence professional

On Monday, Esty sought advice from Karen Jarmoc,

president and CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

As Hearst Connecticut Media and the Washington Post were preparing stories about alleged abuse by Tony Baker, her former chief of staff who was entrusted with a key to her apartment, Esty laid out the basics of an alleged abuse scandal that by Thursday would rock the U.S. Capitol and reverberate back home to Connecticut.

“She basically told me what happened and she expressed that she really wishes she had done things differently,” said Jarmoc, a former Democratic member of the state House of Representatives.

During a phone interview on Friday, Jarmoc said she was “alarmed” that while Congress sets rules for institutions including colleges and universities, each member of Congress creates their own policies on workplace harassment.

“They vote on funding and policy and regulations, but they themselves have none,” Jarmoc said. “That’s the broader issue. And the commitment I got from Congresswoman Esty was that I would work with her on that.”

Esty had her staff sign non-disclosure agreements, which can sometimes provide protections for victims like Kain, who made the charges against Baker, including a claim that he punched her in the back, screamed and threatened her with death in 2016. In this case, the agreement protected Baker, who went on to a job in Ohio for Sandy Hook Promise, from which he apparently was fired this week.

“Victims need options, and to take away their options can be very damaging,” Jarmoc said in defense of non-disclosure agreements, which have been criticized as a way to cover up abuse. “They should be able to lead the outcome.”

Republicans call for resignation

Meanwhile, Republicans on Friday called for Esty’s resignation.

“Elizabeth Esty orchestrated one of the most

disturbing Washington cover-ups in recent memory,” said National Republican Congressional Campaign spokesman Chris Martin. “There is no place for someone who protects abusers in Congress, and she should resign immediately.”

“I think these are very serious accusations,” said state House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby. “The more information that comes out, the more disturbing it is. From my perspective, there is a lot of hypocrisy. There was a woman who needed help and didn’t get it, but Elizabeth Esty claims to have a big platform for victims’ rights. That’s wonderful, but you can’t have it both ways.”

Most Democrats seemed to be circling the wagons on Friday, hoping to withstand the immediate political fallout.

But Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who early in his eightyear tenure appointed Esty’s husband Dan to head the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said Esty was right to say she should have handled the issue differently.

“There is absolutely no place for sexual harassment

or abusive behavior in the workplace — whether that be the halls of Congress, state houses or the White House,” Malloy said in a Friday afternoon statement.

“Nobody working in a congressional office or any other setting should feel afraid to come to work,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, whose New Britain home is in Esty’s district. “Protecting victims of workplace harassment needs to come first, and the rules of Congress need to change to ensure that happens.”

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he was “deeply disappointed” by the news reports.

“I am just learning the facts and I need to know more,” he said. “This story is a reminder about the need to support and encourage survivors and victims who come forward.”

Asked whether Esty should consider resigning, Blumenthal said it’s not up to him.

“She needs to talk with her constituents.”

Esty