Thursday, May 15, 2008

From the WTF Files I give you Roger McMillian & Kieran Maye

Well, it seems that life in a small, respectable city in the buckle of the Bible Belt grants no guarantees. Of course, I've known all along that people are people regardless of where they set up shop and that those who think they have power never change their M.O.

Remember Oklahoma judge Donald Thompson, who got caught using a sexual device under his robes while hearing cases in the courtroom? Well, we have another winner, this time here in Stillwater.

Mayor Roger McMillian is being sued for sexual harassment by three of his employees at the Stillwater branch of The Bank, N.A., stating that he was guilty of creating a sexually-charged workplace and hostile work environment, and that “it was necessary for women to grant sexual favors to McMillian for professional advancement.”

In the court documents (which I have right here in my hands, thanks to Nettl, who brought them home from work -- yes, they're public documents) the plaintiffs’ allegations state that McMillian:
  • Frequently permitted sexually-explicit emails to be sent to bank employees;

  • Joked that he needed to put the EEOC phone number on the wall so that his employees could report his behavior;

  • Would often describe the quality of female customers’ and applicants’ figures, using derogatory and sexually-explicit slurs and jokes. He would walk down to Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer Mike Stewart's office and say, "You need to go look at what is standing in the teller line";

  • Placed his hand on a female employee’s thigh and said he was measuring how short her skirt was;

  • Frequently encouraged employees to have a naked swimming party;

  • Frequently joked with a female employee about exchanging sexual favors;

  • Often, in officer's meetings, said, "I couldn't be happier except for Julia Roberts walking through my office naked -- and you know how happy that would make me";

  • Made jokes about a female employee's "taco";

  • Kept asking an employee more and more questions about her friend whom she called a "whore" as though he would be interested in being with her;

  • Agreed to grant an employee a favor if she would wear a short skirt the next day;

  • Stood at his office door holding a tennis ball. An employee had a customer in her office taking a loan application. McMillian made a comment about the employee "wanting his ball";

  • Retained local attorney Kieran Maye to give sexual harassment seminars to the employees, after which Maye told the employees that if they ever thought about bringing a claim against The Bank, he would "be all over them like ugly on ape and would make their lives very uncomfortable." After the seminar, the employees were discussing how a person may "perceive" harassment. Maye and McMillian were making jokes about the training and were discussing that they would be able to do anything they wanted as long as it wasn't perceived wrong. McMillian stood up on a customer chair, danced and shook his backside at the employees and said, "So how do you perceive this?";

  • Called the employees into his office and in a shouting voice threatened them that if they ever said anything about what was going on in the Stillwater branch to the main office, he would have their "fucking keys by the end of the day."
Besides being the Bank President, McMillan is a member of the Stillwater Industrial Foundation, Stillwater Frontier Rotary, First United Methodist Church Foundation, Stillwater Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Association of Municipal Attorneys and the Payne County Bar Association. He is past chairman of the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, and the First United Methodist Church Board of Trustees.

Here's what puzzles me:
  • What are these men thinking? Do men in politics think they're immune?
  • How the hell can a Hyper Wank Device that looks like an ear of corn prevent sexual harassment?
News Press article

14 comments:

Lynette said...

This is disgusting, embarassing, childish, and arrogant. I hope that McMillian is forced to resign as Mayor and to apologize to the City of Stillwater for his deplorable and inexcusable behavior.

Steph said...

And I hope Maye is disbarred.

B.E. Earl said...

There is nothing funny about a female associate's taco. A little hot sauce, some cheese, lettuce and tomato and its all good.

Why...was he talking about something else? ;)

Seriously though, this guy is a prick who gives all guys a bad name. I hope he pays through the nose.

Steph said...

I'm almost more appalled by Maye's actions. A prick is one thing, but a lawyer who aids and abets him is worse.

Fyrebaugh said...

Thing is this type of individual wouldn't have thought it derogatory for soemone to refer to his package, telling someone else to see him in the teller line or any of the other things he did. He probably would have considered it funny that someone did that about him. It would have boosted his ego. That is the saddest part of all this. He won't see how his actions kept others down and fearful.

John Barleycorn said...

Am I alone in thinking this is fucking awesome? I mean, c'mon. He said taco. How awesome is that?

Steph said...

It might be if these weren't real people who have lost their incomes and if there wasn't a family who has been --and will continue to be-- humiliated by his actions, and whose lifestyle will radically change when he's sentenced, removed from office and has lost his income, not to mention the pain and humiliation of a possible divorce.

I think you're alone.

Lynette said...

Well said, Steph.

Kathy Handyside said...

Take away his Viagra prescription or castrate the bastard. Or both.

Steph said...

All I'm saying is that there's a time and place for terms like that.

I think it's no secret that when I'm with my closest friends, drinking and having a good time, I'll say "taco", "wanger" &tc. I'm no prude and I often border on the offensive -- my friends understand that and take part. But the workplace certainly is not a place for that crap, especially when employees are threatened about losing their jobs, and especially when it's done by a public official and leader of the community.

Lynette said...

Joking around and cutting up amongst friends in a private setting is one thing, but sexually explicit and degrading language, when used in the workplace, is always intended to intimidate and harass, and it's abusive and highly inappropriate.

Steph said...

Very well put.

CGHill said...

I almost wish I had an account at that bank, just so I could close it. Sheesh.

Ms. Golf said...

Take it from me, I very well know the mayor's partner in crime, Mike Stuart, and can assure that they no doubt participated in this shame. Mr. Stuart is a narcissistic pathological liar whose asinine attempt to display any creditability will be a drama waiting to unfold. Money can't buy you everything, Sweetie!!

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