Your Free Press: The Mayor Has Been Deposed

Friday, May 15, 2009

The Mayor Has Been Deposed

The Mayor Has Been Deposed (Updated)

May 14, 2009

Here is the most recent complaint filed in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's discrimination lawsuit brought against Bloomberg LP, in connection which Mayor Bloomberg spent much of the day being deposed by attorneys.

The mayor is not a defendant in the suit, which is alleged to have taken place after he left the company he founded to run his first campaign in 2001.

At issue, however, is whether Bloomberg is responsible for what the EEOC, which has brought the suit on behald of 80+ women who are past and current employees of the firm, claims was a "systemic, top-down culture of discrimination."

Also in question: Exactly how much contact Bloomberg has continued to have with top executives at his company despite the fact that he has insisted he is no longer involved in running it.

"Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg prides himself as a hands on, detail-oriented owner, businessman and now Mayor," said Richard Roth, an attorney who is representing two of the women.

"Plaintiffs, who are 80 former pregnant females, allege the improprieties were serious, systematic and pervasive throughout his company."

"We are seeking to determine if and when Mayor Bloomberg became aware of these issues, whether they were happening under his watch, and if so, what he did about them, if anything. We are also questioning Mayor Bloomberg’s relationship with the company for the time period after he left the company and became the Mayor of New York City, and during which time he continues to own an overwhelming majority of the company."

"Unfortunately, I cannot comment on his deposition testimony. However, I can say that we will seek to have a second day of his deposition."

The pertinent passages start on P. 4.

UPDATE1: Actually, what appears below is the first half of the complaint. The second half is here.

UPDATE2: A statement from Bloomberg's attorney appears after the jump.

47-1