Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano favored women pals for jobs: lawsuitA veteran US law-enforcement official has filed a blockbuster
discrimination lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Janet
Napolitano, charging she pushed him aside to make way for a
less-qualified woman who’s “enjoyed a long-standing relationship” with
the anti-terror chief.The lawsuit, which was first reported yesterday by blogger Debbie Schlussel,
identifies the woman as Dora Schriro, who was later appointed by Mayor
Bloomberg as commissioner of the city Department of Correction, a post
she still holds.The court papers also allege that Suzanne Barr,
Napolitano’s chief of staff at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has
engaged in “numerous” acts of “sexually offensive behavior” intended to
“humiliate and intimidate male employees.

Barr’s alleged acts include calling one man “in his hotel room and
screaming at him that she wanted his ‘c--k in the back of [her] throat.’
”The suit was filed by James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in
charge of New York City investigations for Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.Hayes, who began his career with the feds as a border
patrol agent in 1995, formerly served as director of ICE Detention and
Removal Operations in Washington, DC, where he oversaw about 8,500
workers and a $2.5 billion budget.But Hayes says he was demoted
following President Obama’s election and the appointment of Napolitano, a
former Arizona governor, to head the Department of Homeland Security.In
court papers filed in Washington federal court, Hayes says Schriro —
who previously served as director of the Arizona Department of
Corrections under Napolitano — was named a “special adviser” to
Napolitano on detention and removal operations in February 2009 and
began to replace him at DHS and ICE meetings.“Schriro was not as
qualified for the position plaintiff had because of lack of federal
law-enforcement experience,” Hayes’ suit says.“Schriro did have
experience, however, working with Secretary Napolitano. Schriro enjoyed a
long-standing relationship with the secretary.”The suit doesn’t detail the nature of their relationship.

During
her 2002 gubernatorial campaign, Napolitano publicly denied rumors that
she’s a lesbian. In a 2009 interview, she said, “I just happen not to
be married.”When asked at that time if she was “seeing anybody now,” she answered, “Yes, my staff.”

Hayes’
suit says that when it became clear he was going to be removed from his
post, he “felt that he was being targeted because of his gender.”He
charges that in April and May 2009, ICE chief of staff Barr “removed
the entire contents of the offices of three male employees, including
nameplates, computers and telephones, to the men’s bathroom at ICE
headquarters.”“Barr also created a frat-house type atmosphere that is targeted to humiliate and intimidate male employees,” court papers say.

In
addition to the alleged hotel phone call, Barr allegedly “covertly took
an ICE BlackBerry device assigned to a male special agent in charge and
sent a BlackBerry Messenger message to his female supervisor indicating
that the male employee had a crush on the female supervisor and
fantasized about her.”“Further, Barr promoted and otherwise
rewarded those male employees who play along with her sexually charged
games,” the suit says.Napolitano hasn’t formally responded to Hayes’ suit, which was filed in May.

In
response to a request for comment from DHS, ICE Director of Public
Affairs Brian Hale said, “ICE doesn’t comment on unfounded claims and
will respond to Mr. Hayes’ allegations as appropriate through the
judicial system.”Robin Campbell, press secretary for the New York
City Department of Correction, said: “Commissioner Schriro’s selection
and service at DHS was based on the merits. Any suggestion to the
contrary is false.”








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