Esty has disappointed, but GOP can’t claim moral high ground.

We are surprised and disappointed in the appallingly poor judgment shown by U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty in her delay of dealing with a former chief of staff in her Washington office accused of abusing and threatening another staff member. Surprised, because the 5th District Democrat has been a champion of rights and opportunities for women on issues, obtaining legislation that, among other areas, promotes careers for women in science and engineering fields.

Disappointed, because Esty should have acted decisively when the abuse allegations surfaced. Instead, three months went by before she fired her chief of staff, Tony Baker.

The disturbing situation from 2016 came to light in a story first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media. A former female staff member obtained a protective order against Baker after he allegedly called her about 50 times, texted and threatened her with death at a bar during a Cinco de Mayo reunion of current and former staffers two years ago. She accused Baker of punching her in the back in Esty’s D.C. office in the winter of 2014, screaming and threatening to block her from getting another job if she reported him. The accuser, identified as Anna Kain, left her job in Esty’s office in March 2015.

It was the congresswoman’s responsibility to know what was going on in her office and to cultivate an atmosphere of respect, not intimidation. Upon learning of the serious allegations, too late, in May of 2016, Esty should have immediately put Baker on leave, even though the accuser was no longer working there.

Instead, she ordered Baker to get counseling for anger management and alcohol abuse and waited for the results of an internal review before taking stronger action. She fired him in July 2016, and gave him $5,000 in a nondisclosure agreement. Despite the agreement, Esty was wrong to give a “limited” recommendation for a job in the Ohio office of Newtown-based Sandy Hook Promise, a position he recently left.

Esty said she was following recommendations and procedures from the Office of House Employment Counsel for firing an employee, rules that tend to protect the institution. She’s a Yale-educated lawyer and should have acted more decisively.

On Thursday evening, Esty apologized to Baker’s accuser for failing to “protect her and provide her with the safe and respectful work environment that every employee deserves.”

An unseemly web of non-disclosure agreements has taken root in Congress, and large corporations. The House approved legislation to change the way sexual abuse allegations are handled, but the Senate has failed to act.

Courageous women such as Kain, empowered by the #metoo movement to speak out, will lead the way to necessary reform.

While Esty has shown uncharacteristically poor judgment in the handling of misconduct allegations in her office, it is disingenuous for Republicans, such as National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Chris Martin, to demand her resignation as they remain silent on the many transgressions of the man elected to lead the country.

Esty, consistently a supporter of women, is contrite; voters will decide whether to give her a fourth term in November. President Donald Trump, by contrast, will continue to dodge and deny.