Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the EU who has become a key witness in the impeachment inquiry, has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women who say he retaliated against them after they rejected his advances, The Guardian informs.
In one case, a potential business partner recalls that Sondland took her to tour a room in a hotel he owns, only to then grab her face and try to kiss her. After she rejected him, Sondland backtracked on investing in her business, ProPublica reported.
Another woman, a work associate at the time, says Sondland exposed himself to her during a business interaction. She also recalls falling over the back of a couch trying to get away from him. After she made her lack of interest clear, she says Sondland called her, screaming about her job performance, ProPublica added.
“A third woman, 27 years Sondland’s junior, met him to discuss a potential job. She says he pushed himself against her and kissed her. She shoved him away. She says his job help stopped,” ProPublica noted.
Sondland, who testified last week that he considered Rudy Giuliani’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and the 2016 election as Trump held up the country’s military aid to be a definite case of quid pro quo, denied the allegations in a statement.
“These untrue claims of unwanted touching and kissing are concocted and, I believe, coordinated for political purposes,” Sondland said. “They have no basis in fact, and I categorically deny them.”
Sondland’s lawyer even suggested the women may be retaliating against the ambassador after failed business opportunties. “Notably, what each of these three women share in common is that they pursued Ambassador Sondland for financial and personal gain — an investment, a job, and insurance brokerage work — and he declined their proposals,” said lawyer Jim McDermott.
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