Powerful Realtor Group President Faces Sexual Harassment Allegations
‘CULTURE OF FEAR’
The president of the National Association of Realtors, the largest trade association in America with more than 1.5 million members that controls nearly every home listing in the U.S., is facing allegations of sexual harassment, The New York Times reported. Twenty-nine former employees and leaders of NAR told the Times that Kenny Parcell created a “culture of fear,” and even after years of formal complaints of sexual harassment and discrimination by the president, little changed within the organization. Many of these claims have come to light in recent weeks following a lawsuit, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, filed by a former employee who had a relationship with Parcell. One woman said Parcell once shoved his hand down his pants in front of her in a sexually suggestive way, and another woman claimed he texted her a picture of his crotch. A third woman has accused Parcell of retaliating against her after their consensual relationship ended. In a statement to the Times, Parcell denied the allegations. “I have never tried to reach out to anyone ‘younger’ or ‘late at night.’”