Accuser Says Fannie-Freddie Regulator Made Her Feel ‘Unsafe’
- Simone Grimes tells lawmakers of ‘hostile’ environment at FHFA
- Watt denies wrongdoing, says he and Grimes were never intimate
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Bloomberg
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Allegations that Federal Housing Finance Authority Director Mel Watt sexually harassed a female subordinate will likely continue casting a shadow over his final months in office after lawmakers criticized his handling of the claims and vowed to keep investigating.
At a congressional hearing Thursday, Watt’s accuser, Simone Grimes, said he created an “unsafe” work environment by engaging in years of harassment. In his own testimony, Watt said courts will confirm he acted within the law and argued Congress isn’t the appropriate venue to assess the case. Still, politicians from both sides of the aisle vowed to press on while faulting his refusal to participate in one of several ongoing inquiries.