Sure, Cassaro’s campaign doesn’t matter, but there’s drama!
We hear from several former campaign staffers of Michael Cassaro that he is refusing to pay them. (Who knew four staff members had departed?) Three of the former staffers allege physical and verbal harassment (not sexual, just unwanted touching) from the campaign’s Communications Director. The staffers attempted to quietly resolve the harassment issue with Dr. Cassaro but he promptly ignored their complaints, later terminating them without payment.
Read the rest of this mess after the jump…
Keep in mind these are allegations (though we’ve seen some pretty interesting email that appears to back these claims up) and we’ve only heard stories from a few individuals, not Cassaro or the Communications Director. We sent emails to both seeking comment re: the allegations but they issued prompt denials. From Cassaro’s CD, “These are false allegations that are currently under investigation.” He then directed us to call someone named Dennis, who appears to be the campaign’s Field Director. In a follow-up email, the Communications Director claimed not to know anything about the situation. We’re not sure why he gave us two different stories.
A lawsuit is being considered by a couple staffers in an hopes of resolving the matter… so we hope the drama is put to rest and soon by Dr. Cassaro.
Not good, kids! Not good.
There are woah more allegations that we won’t even bother getting into. It’s all a weird, tangled mess involving child protective services in both Kentucky and Massachusetts, money funneling. We just hope Cassaro realizes he has to effing pay his campaign staff.
PAY YOUR STAFF, PEOPLE. Only cheapskates like a certain former Democratic Lt. Governor and a current female presidential candidate don’t pay their employees and/or bills.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Forks of Elkhorn // Apr 30, 2008 at 1:40 pm
In one campaign the Commnuications Director (he) is the bully. In the other, the Communications Director (she) is being bullied.
That must be a tough job. So who is the Communications Director for Lunsford and is he or she the bully or the bullied?
2 » Mid-Afternoon Roundup: Frankfort is Classy, Stylish What’s Required: Progress in the Commonwealth // Apr 30, 2008 at 2:47 pm
[...] been whooping Democratic Senate Candidate Ass today. And while most of it has been partisan… this is just [...]
3 Holly // Apr 30, 2008 at 4:02 pm
My understaning is that 6, yes SIX staffers are gone from the campaign and only two (2) remain… and Dennis has NO campaign experience. I understand he went from volunteer to field director in a week!! I certain would beleive the harassment suit, the comunication director is creepy!
4 Fred // Apr 30, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I hope this means I will stop getting those unwanted emails from Ted Schlecter. Someone from that campaign harvested my address without my permission.
5 Anony Mouse // Apr 30, 2008 at 5:52 pm
That happened to me with both Cassaro and Fischer.
6 Mike Bailey // Apr 30, 2008 at 9:00 pm
I’ve worked with Ted a lot, and he has never acted inappropriately around me. I am not comfortable with this kind of public smearing when no wrongdoing has been proven.
7 askquestions // Apr 30, 2008 at 10:53 pm
The use of the term alleged doesn’t protect YOU from a lawsuit. If this really did happen, they should have contacted a lawyer or a legitimate news source and not a half-wit on a blog, especially if they have these e-mails like you say. Really if they were all that smart they would have blackmailed him to keep it out of the “press”.
8 jake // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Thanks again, spammer, for your continual comments and pageviews that translate into money for my company.
Their “blackmailing” attempt didn’t work, so they all turned to an outlet with thousands of readers.
And, as I’ve seen, attorneys *are* involved.
And thanks for the half-wit remark. And, actually, nothing protects anyone from a lawsuit. But I have about seven emails right now that back up everything I’m saying. So I’m not worried.
9 Nancy C. Wagner, Attorney at Law // May 6, 2008 at 11:23 am
As legal counsel for the campaign of Michael Cassaro, I have found that there is no basis in law or fact by which the terminated staffers (whether voluntarily or involuntarily terminated) have a colorable claim against either Candidate Cassaro or his Communications Director. The “drama,” if any, is merely the histrionics of certain of the departed staff. Those staffers who “worked” in furtherance of the campaign have been paid..…the others have yet to produce any evidence of efforts on behalf of or service to the campaign after March 15, 2008. Those individuals have been asked repeatedly to turn over all campaign material, passwords, work product, lists, etc. and to provide the Campaign with a detailed list of services provided prior to termination. To date, neither Candidate Cassaro nor any of his staff have received any response in compliance with this request.
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