POLITICO
A former employee of Rudy Giuliani is suing him for $10 million over allegations of sexual assault and harassment, wage theft and “other misconduct,” including several instances that were recorded, according to a complaint filed Monday.
Noelle Dunphy, the employee bringing the lawsuit, was hired by the former New York City mayor and Trump lawyer in January 2019.
From the start, Giuliani “worked aggressively” to hire her, offering her a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to work for an annual salary of $1 million as his director of business development, Dunphy alleges.
It was an opportunity that was “too good to pass up,” according to the filing. But the offers were “a sham,” motivated by Giuliani’s desire to “pursue a sexual relationship” with Dunphy, and the abuse began “almost immediately,” she alleges.
The 70-page filing details multiple instances of sexual harassment and assault, including accusations that Giuliani forced Dunphy to perform oral sex on him in his Upper East Side apartment, and while he took phone calls. Giuliani “aggressively pursued a sexual relationship” with Dunphy, the filing says, and “made clear that satisfying his sexual demands” was a requirement of her job. He “continually pressured her into sex,” and was “unconcerned” about whether Dunphy had given consent, the complaint says.
Giuliani did not respond to requests for comment, but a spokesperson told The Associated Press that the former mayor “vehemently” denied the allegations.
“Mayor Giuliani’s lifetime of public service speaks for itself, and he will pursue all available remedies and counterclaims,” Giuliani’s communications adviser, Ted Goodman, told the AP.
In addition to his sexual demands, Giuliani went on “alcohol-drenched rants that included sexist, racist, and antisemitic remarks,” many of which were recorded, according to the filing.
Dunphy also alleges in the complaint that Giuliani put her in charge of his email, giving her access to “highly sensitive” information, including correspondence between Giuliani and then-President Donald Trump, as well as several Trump advisers.
According to the lawsuit, Giuliani also told Dunphy he was able to break laws because he had “immunity,” and he claimed he was selling pardons for $2 million, money he and Trump would split.
Giuliani also repeatedly told Dunphy not to speak with the FBI, the lawsuit alleges. When she told Giuliani that FBI agents had visited her family’s home in Florida looking to question her, he “demanded” she not speak to or cooperate with them, and claimed that one or two of the agents were going to “get totally destroyed.”
The complaint, filed in New York state court, names Giuliani, his companies and 10 unidentified individuals in New York.
