Nation & World Glance
Grammys CEO says she was ousted after reporting harassment
LOS ANGELES — The ousted Grammys CEO fired back at the Recording Academy on Tuesday, alleging that she was removed after complaining about sexual harassment and pay disparities and for calling out conflicts of interest in the nomination process for music’s most prestigious awards.
Lawyers for Deborah Dugan, who was placed on administrative leave last week after six months in the job, filed the discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission just five days before the Grammy Awards. She alleged she was sexually harassed by the academy’s general counsel, Joel Katz, who late Tuesday denied her account.
Dugan detailed the harassment and other issues in an email to an academy human resources executive on Dec. 22, according to the complaint.
The complaint also stated that Dugan was paid less than former academy CEO Neil Portnow, who left the post last year, and that she was also subject to retaliation for refusing to hire Portnow as a consultant for nearly half his former salary.
Portnow had been criticized for saying women need to “step up” when asked backstage at the 2018 show why only two female acts won awards during the live telecast. Portnow called his comments a “poor choice of words” and later said he chose not to seek an extension on his contract.
Last week, the academy said Dugan was put on leave following an allegation of misconduct by a senior leader at the organization.
In reversal, Clinton says she’d back Sanders if he’s nominee
WASHINGTON — In an abrupt about-face, Hillary Clinton said Tuesday night that she would endorse her 2016 rival Bernie Sanders if he wins the Democratic nomination to face President Donald Trump in November.
The former secretary of state had earlier refused to say whether she would endorse Sanders in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Tuesday, instead telling the outlet: “I’m not going to go there yet.” She had also offered a broad condemnation of the progressive candidate’s style of politics.
“I thought everyone wanted my authentic, unvarnished views!” Clinton tweeted Tuesday night. “But, to be serious, the number one priority for our country and world is retiring Trump, and, as I always have, I will do whatever I can to support our nominee.”
Her initial comments ripped open the scars of the brutal 2016 primary battle between Sanders and Clinton just as Democrats are poised to begin voting on their next nominee. Sanders’ loyalists believed the Democratic establishment had rigged the primary in favor of Clinton, who won the nomination but ended up losing the general election to Trump.
Office of Venezuela’s Guaidó raided during his trip abroad
CARACAS, Venezuela — Intelligence police raided the office of Juan Guaidó on Tuesday, while the U.S.backed opposition leader was travelling in Europe seeking to bolster support for his campaign to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Masked officers from feared SEBIN intelligence police unit blocked the building’s entrances and lined the street with their vehicles, barring entry by lawmakers aligned with Guaidó.
The United States and about 60 other nations recognize Guaidó, who heads the opposition-dominated National Assembly, as
Venezuela’s legitimate president. They contend Maduro’s 2018 re-election was invalid and marred by fraud. Guaidó, however, has no control over government institution or the military.
Legislator Manuela Bolívar confirmed the raid on his office, saying she was allowed to go to the door of the third-floor space, where officers were still inside working inside.
Netanyahu tries to rally global opposition to ICC case
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling on the world to take “concrete actions” against the International Criminal Court ahead of a possible warcrimes case against Israel.
The ICC’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said last month that there was a “reasonable basis” to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip as well as Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank. She has asked the court to determine whether she has territorial jurisdiction before proceeding with the case.
Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, has said the court has no jurisdiction and accused Bensouda of being driven by anti-Semitism.
In an interview with the Christian network TBN to be aired later Tuesday, Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump for criticizing the ICC and called on others to follow suit.
“I think that everybody should rise up against this,” he said, according to excerpts released by his office. “I urge all your viewers to do the same and to ask for concrete actions, sanctions against the international court, its officials, its prosecutors, everyone.”
“They’re basically in a full frontal attack on the democracies, both on the democracies’ right to defend themselves, and on Israel’s right, the Jewish people’s right, to live in their ancestral homeland, the Land of Israel,” he said.