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Bronx State Sen. Jeffrey Klein Accused of Forcible Kissing by Former Staffer
New York Daily News ^ | Wednesday, January 10, 2018 | KENNETH LOVETT

Posted on 01/10/2018 6:11:05 PM PST by nickcarraway

former staffer has accused Bronx state Sen. Jeffrey Klein of forcibly kissing her — a charge the powerful pol vehemently denied.

The woman, Erica Vladimer, told HuffPost that Klein, who heads a breakaway group of eight Senate Democrats, “shoved his tongue” down her throat outside an Albany bar on April 1, 2015 as lawmakers and staff celebrated completion of the state budget.

“I pulled away and I said, ‘Senator, absolutely not,’” she told the website.

“And he looked at me and said, with this stupid little grin on his face, ‘What? What?’ Like he was being coy, almost trying to flirt and play a game.”

Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin opt to settle divorce out of court Vladimer, who worked for Klein’s Independent Democratic Conference for two years, left for a new job about a month later. She never filed a complaint, but told a friend about it that night, the website reported. The friend corroborated the story.

In an Oct. 5, 2017 Facebook post as the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault story was breaking, Vladimer wrote that “too many of us women put the fear of destroying our career above the fear of being violated, disrespected, assaulted, treated as less than human. This needs to change. We need to change.”

She added: “To the women in my life, and to those I connected with in years past-- I promise to find a way to break my silence, and I promise to help you find the strength to break yours, too.”

D.R. Horton Bay Area PAID CONTENT BY D.R. HORTON BAY AREA Find Your New Home Vladimer, 30, currently works for the New York City Independent Budget Office.

James Rosen left Fox News amid sexual misconduct reports In a conference call with reporters shortly before the story was published, Klein denied any inappropriate behavior. But he also acknowledged that the day after the alleged incident, he heard “a rumor” from another staffer that Vladimer said he kissed her. He denied it, but said he didn’t do anything else because a complaint was never filed.

“I want to be crystal clear, this alleged incident never happened,” he said Wednesday, adding he has no plans to resign his leadership post.

He said after being contacted by HuffPost last Thursday, he hired a lawyer who interviewed lawmakers and staff who were at the bar the night of the alleged incident and found no one who saw Klein kiss the woman. One of those was Klein’s fellow senator and longtime girlfriend, Diane Savino (D-Staten Island).

Savino, who was on the conference call with Klein, insisted the incident never occurred.

Harvey Weinstein slapped in face, cursed out at restaurant The woman, Erica Vladimer, told HuffPost that Klein “shoved his tongue” down her throat outside an Albany bar on April 1, 2015. The woman, Erica Vladimer, told HuffPost that Klein “shoved his tongue” down her throat outside an Albany bar on April 1, 2015. (FACEBOOK) “Those of you who know me know I would not have remained silent,” the tough-talking Savino said. “There would have been an incident that night.”

Vladimer told HuffPost that she feared Savino.

Klein and Savino said after the budget was done, the two went to Justin’s, a popular Albany bar at the time, to meet up with other lawmakers and staffers.

Without mentioning her by name, they say Vladimer began chatting with Klein. Klein said the young staffer asked him what he was doing for the upcoming Passover holiday and if he wanted to join her family for a Seder.

Klein said he thought the request was “strange and inappropriate” and that he “politely declined.” Vladimer in her comments to HuffPost said she learned that night that Klein and her father had attended the same school.

Klein said Vladimer followed him outside for a cigarette. It was there, she said, that Klein forcibly kissed her.

“All of a sudden there was a hand on the back of my head and he shoved his tongue down my throat,” she said. “In my head it lasted forever, I don’t think it lasted even three seconds.”

Klein argued nothing like that happened. He and Savino said there was a big window in front of the bar that allowed patrons to see out.

Klein’s lawyers, Michael Zweig and Mark Goldberg, said in a memo released by Klein’s office that their interviews found no one witnessed the kiss. Vladimer also told HuffPost there were no witnesses.

Klein’s lawyers also said that witnesses described the staffer “as having consumed alcoholic beverages throughout the evening” while Klein “did not drink excessively or seem in any way impaired that evening.”

The lawyers in their letter outlining their findings also cited the former staffer’s resignation letter that said she was “extremely grateful for the opportunity you provided me to work for the Independent Democratic Conference. The skills and knowledge I gained as a policy analyst and counsel will be invaluable as I move forward. I will miss everyone, but I know I have made a good decision. I wish you and the entire conference continued success. ”

JAN. 3, 2017 FILE PHOTO Politicians accused of sexual harassment or assault Vladimer told the HuffPost that she’s not looking for Klein to resign, but instead use the incident to improve himself.

“I think Senator Klein needs to step up,” she said. “As a leader of a very powerful conference in the New York state legislature, he has the ability to effectuate change. We have the Senate Dems who put out legislative packages on sexual harassment, and the governor saying he’s going to discuss proposals. What’s the IDC going to do? What’s the GOP going to do?”

Albany has struggled for years with sexual misconduct.

Gov. Cuomo, who had a now-former top economic development aide sued over sexual harassment, recently proposed a package of bills designed to address workplace sexual harassment.

The allegation against Klein comes amid the #MeToo movement that has led to sexual assault and harassment allegations against men in the political, entertainment and media worlds.

It also comes at a time when Klein and his breakaway group of eight Democrats are under pressure to break their leadership coalition with the Republicans and reunify with the Democrats.

Jessica Ramos, a former staffer to Mayor de Blasio who says she will primary one of Klein’s members, Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Queens), called on Peralta to return to mainline Dems in the wake of the Vladimer story.

“If Senator Peralta wants to be counted as a Democrat, he must stand up for victims of sexual assault and refuse to be part of a conference led by a sexual predator,” Ramos tweeted.

Klein’s fellow IDC members, including Peralta, said in a statement that they’re sticking with him.

“We have complete confidence in Senator Klein, and we stand by him. We understand this is an important moment in our history and we want to continue to encourage women to come forward,” the statement said. “However, we know Jeff Klein, and the allegations would be completely out of character for him. He is (a) longtime champion for women, and for our state.”


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: bronx; ericavladimer; jeffreyklein; newyork

1 posted on 01/10/2018 6:11:05 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

“shoved his tongue” down her throat
= = =

This begs dimensions and a diagram.


2 posted on 01/10/2018 6:12:28 PM PST by Scrambler Bob (All posts are /s, unless otherwise specified.)
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To: nickcarraway

“The woman, Erica Vladimer, told HuffPost that Klein...“shoved his tongue” down her throat outside an Albany bar on April 1, 2015...”

Easy one.

APRIL FOOLS!


3 posted on 01/10/2018 6:15:57 PM PST by moovova
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To: nickcarraway

Right after she grabbed his crouch, he thought she wanted a relationship.


4 posted on 01/10/2018 6:25:07 PM PST by SubMareener (Save us from Quarterly Freepathons! Become a MONTHLY DONOR)
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To: nickcarraway

Oh no! Not James Rosen!!


5 posted on 01/10/2018 6:26:07 PM PST by FES0844 (G)
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To: nickcarraway
"Sen. Jeffrey Klein of forcibly kissing her"


her? With those eyebrows? Looks like he could play for the other team.
6 posted on 01/10/2018 6:33:25 PM PST by snarkytart
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To: nickcarraway
Democrats are getting mighty tired of losing their own members other democrats to their own boomeranged War On Women.
7 posted on 01/10/2018 6:50:44 PM PST by Vlad The Inhaler (United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Remember That Diversity Is The Opposite Of Unity.)
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To: Vlad The Inhaler

Democrats seem to be pretty good at never anticipating where the crap they start will end up.


8 posted on 01/10/2018 7:05:32 PM PST by jospehm20
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To: nickcarraway

Maybe politicians’ tongues grow longer (like noses.) We know they fork...


9 posted on 01/10/2018 7:45:06 PM PST by Paul R. (I don't want to be energy free, we want to be energy dominant in terms of the world. -D. Trump)
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To: Scrambler Bob

only if it reached her tonsils?


10 posted on 01/10/2018 8:10:59 PM PST by entropy12 (30 Million low wealth, low skill LEGAL chain migrants in 25 years is 60 times greater than DACA)
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To: nickcarraway

Whaz da big deal?


11 posted on 01/10/2018 8:53:08 PM PST by Az Joe (Gloria in excelsis Deo)
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To: Scrambler Bob

If he could do that she would have Married him on the spot.

I imagine he was standing there looking her over while he was licking his eyebrows or he is the Bassist for KISS.


12 posted on 01/10/2018 8:56:52 PM PST by Kickass Conservative (Tweet softly, but carry a big stick.)
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