"Undisputed PR Leader for the Progressive Movement" Shuts Down After Claims of Rampant Sexual Harassment and Even Sexual Assault

Don't worry, though -- because he's a progressive, this is just One Man's Transgression. This will not be part of any narrative about a War on Women from the dishonest, sneaky, sometimes assaulty cads of the allegedly "feminist" left.

By the way, I have no idea if this is true, of course. We've seen absurd allegations cast about by a cadre of young women now trained to believe that being sexually assaulted is part of their Rite of Passage (and if they're not assaulted, there must be something wrong with them, right?).

Still... shutting down the whole operation?

And... there are multiple accusers. I know there were multiple accusers in Salem, too, but still.

FitzGibbon Media, a prominent progressive public relations firm, abruptly shut down on Thursday amid allegations of sexual harassment and assault by the company's president.

Trevor FitzGibbon and his team worked with some of the biggest progressive organizations, including NARAL, MoveOn, the Center for American Progress and the AFL-CIO, as well as Wikileaks, Chelsea Manning and The Intercept. The company sponsored an event with The Huffington Post earlier this year.

Multiple female employees came forward with accusations of sexual harassment and assault against FitzGibbon, according to employees who spoke with The Huffington Post.

A statement from FitzGibbon staffers read:

Former FitzGibbon Media Staffers Respond to Sexual Assault and Harassment Allegations Against Trevor FitzGibbon

The team that comprised FitzGibbon Media is incredibly sad and disappointed to confirm that allegations have been made against Trevor FitzGibbon, FitzGibbon Media founder and President, for sexual assault and harassment of multiple female staffers. Staffers reported over a half dozen incidents of sexual harassment and at least two involving sexual assault committed by Trevor FitzGibbon against his own employees.

For decades, Trevor presented himself a champion of the progressive movement, claiming to support and respect women and feminist issues, from equal pay to reproductive rights, but his actions prove a hypocrisy so great that FitzGibbon Media closed its doors today, as we could no longer continue working under his leadership. We lost our jobs standing up for what’s right, to ensure a safe workplace for all -- and while we may have been left without jobs, benefits and long-term healthcare, we have our integrity and each other.

We are devastated to see our beloved place of work closed at the hands of such a coward and hope to continue working on the social and political issues we love and care so deeply for in the future.

The guy faced harassment allegations at a previous firm.

The Huffington Post details the "harassment" part of the charges. He pressured women seeking jobs to send him photos and asked them up to his hotel room -- during the hiring process, apparently. (One woman refused to send him a "maxim" style picture as he requested, stating that she was working hard to be hired by him, and that doing so would "taint" any eventual employment.)

He told her that it was okay because he was "the boss" and so no one would know about it.

Several women say he pressured them for "hugs" and photos and of course hotel room visits.

The "assault" claims seem to involve sudden groping of the breasts. Or rather, one does, per the Huff Po, and then it says another claim is "similar."

And now for a little reminder of how "progressive" progressive cultures really are-- just as in Soviet Russia, everyone was equal, except that high members of the party got the good apartments and cars and all the other benefits of wealth.

Similarly, the progressive movement is very anti-rape -- except if you tell on a high member of the movement, in which case you fear you'll be drummed out of the movement entirely.

Amazing stuff here, also at the Huff Po.

Those ties also prevented some of these women from initially talking about what happened to them. "If I stopped interacting with all the men in the progressive movement who made inappropriate statements or advancements to me in this business, I'd be nowhere," said a former FitzGibbon client.

">b>I couldn't speak up because I was afraid of retaliation -- that I would get fired if I spoke up," added a female FitzGibbon staffer...

"This is probably a story you could tell at 15 other organizations," said a former Fenton employee who worked with FitzGibbon. "There are probably 20 other Trevors in our progressive movement in Washington.""

Exit Question:

How could it be that women working as part of a political movement ostensibly so dedicated to fighting rape culture would fear being ostracized and shunned if they reported on the alleged sexual harassment of one of the Kings of Anti-Rape Culture?

How could it be that sexual harassment is rampant in this movement?

How could there be twenty "Trevors" in a movement so dedicated to women's sexual autonomy?

Why, it's almost as if cult leaders become cult leaders for the power and the access to women.

posted by Ace at 05:09 PM

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