Elections

Alaska Governor Candidate Accused of Sexual Harassment by Former Assistant

‘CREDIBLE’

Charlie Pierce’s shortened term as mayor was not because he wanted to refocus on the state gubernatorial campaign, as previously reported.

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Charlie Pierce for Governor/Facebook

An Alaska gubernatorial candidate has been accused of sexual harassment by a former employee, revealed a lawsuit filed in state court on Friday. Charlie Pierce allegedly made unwanted advances toward his former executive assistant, Pamela Wastell, while he was mayor of Kenai Peninsula Borough. Wastell’s complaint accuses Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks, and sexual advances” during her employment from 2021 through the first half of 2022. On Aug. 26, Pierce left his role as mayor with a year still on the clock to reportedly focus his full attention on his gubernatorial race, where he is one of three candidates and one of two Republicans on the docket. But on Sept. 11, the township’s assembly announced that it had received a “credible” harassment claim against Pierce in July, after which it had asked for his “voluntary resignation,” according to the office of the borough clerk.

Read it at Anchorage Daily News

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