Hillary Clinton Allegedly Protected Campaign Adviser Accused of Sexual Misconduct: Report

The New York Times published a story on Friday that claims Hillary Clinton ignored complaints about sexual harassment against a senior campaign adviser, Burns Strider.

According to the report, Strider, who worked closely with Clinton on her 2008 White House run, was accused of "repeatedly sexually harassing a young subordinate." The young woman ultimately made a complaint against Strider after he allegedly “rubbed her shoulders inappropriately, kissed her on the forehead and sent her a string of suggestive emails,” the outlet alleges.

After it had been filed, the complaint was escalated to the campaign manager, who reportedly urged Clinton to release Strider from his duties. But, per the Times, despite this recommendation to cut him loose, Strider remained on the team at Clinton’s request.

As a result of the allegations against him, Strider was reportedly docked several weeks of pay and ordered to undergo counseling. The young woman who made the accusations was moved to a new job within the campaign, the Times reports.

As with most political staffers, the signing of a nondisclosure agreement during the campaign that barred employees from publicly discussing campaign ongoings prevented the young woman from coming forward with the story on her own. When reached by a reporter from the Times, she declined to comment.

Following Clinton’s failed White House run in 2008, Strider went on to lead a group, Correct the Record, that backed Clinton’s 2016 candidacy. According to the Times, Strider was fired several months later, however, with "workplace issues" as the catalyst for his release. It was noted by the Times that these "issues" included allegations that he "harassed a young female aide" at the organization.

The New York Times reached out repeatedly to Strider for comment, but has yet to receive a reply. You can read the whole story here.

Clinton responded to the story via Twitter on Friday: "A story appeared today about something that happened in 2008," she wrote in a series of two tweets. "I was dismayed when it occurred, but was heartened the young woman came forward, was heard, and had her concerns taken seriously and addressed. I called her today to tell her how proud I am of her and to make sure she knows what all women should: we deserve to be heard."