Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner is currently under investigation for allegations of sexual harassment.
Multiple women who worked with him in the federal government have come forward, claiming that he made unwelcome advances.
One of the women who worked at the Securities and Exchange Commission alongside Meiner alleged that he attempted to kiss her during a professional dinner.
Another person claimed that Meiner proposed the idea of purchasing an apartment in order to engage in a secret relationship.
Mayor Meiner’s Prelude: SEC Office Assault Allegations
Prior to Meiner assuming the role of mayor of Miami, there were swirling allegations of sexual assault that supposedly occurred within the SEC office.
These allegations have been denied by Meiner, who is married and has two children, according to the Miami Herald.
Three women, who were not named for fear of retribution, were interviewed as part of an investigation conducted by the SEC’s Office of Human Resources in Washington, D.C.
According to the Herald, the federal agency has been actively contacting former and current co-workers of Meiner to inquire about their knowledge of the allegations made against him since the new year.
According to the Herald, during a business dinner in 2012, one of the women, who was a former college intern, alleged that Meiner made an inappropriate advance towards her.
After the shocking incident, she confided in a work colleague the following day, but stated that she never disclosed the incident, as mentioned by the news outlet.
Intern Accuses Meiner: Dinner Invites and Texts Alleged
Another woman, who was in law school at the time and worked as an intern, claimed that Meiner frequently invited her to join him for dinner and drinks.
She also alleged that he would send her text messages complimenting her appearance and intelligence.
To put an end to his behavior, she mentioned that she would need to send him multiple straightforward messages, reminding him of his marital and parental responsibilities, as she shared with the Herald.
According to the outlet, she made it clear in those direct texts that she was involved in a committed relationship.
The third individual, an attorney at the SEC in 2016, claimed that Meiner entered her office and expressed a desire to get an apartment together for undisclosed reasons.
His behavior has been a subject of conversation among at least eight current or former employees, but it never led to any disciplinary measures, as reported by the Herald.
Meiner’s conduct towards women at the SEC has sparked an internal investigation that is currently underway.
A spokesperson from the SEC declined to provide a comment when contacted by the Herald. They declined to provide any information regarding personnel matters.