Jesse Jackson subject of gay harassment complaint by former employee
Thu. April 14, 2011 6:27 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Jesse Jackson denies claims
Chicago, IL -
A former employee of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. at the Rainbow Push Coalition has filed a wrongful termination and discrimination complaint against the civil rights leader.
Tommy R. Bennett filed a complaint, which includes shocking allegations about Jackson's behavior toward the openly gay staffer including an allegation that Jackson propositioned him, with the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Rights.
The 55 year-old Bennett, a regular on the Tom Joyner Radio show and member of Barack Obama's LGBT Leadership Council, worked for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition for more than two years as the National Director of Community Affairs.
Bennett claims that he had to escort women to Jackson's room and "clean up his room after sexual intercourse with women. Mr. Bennett believes he was forced to do these tasks due to his sexual orientation," adding that he had to escort women to such places as the Sheraton Hotel in New York and the Wynn Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.
Jackson has denied the allegations in a legal response that was filed in July 2010 and resurfaced when the Windy City Times published a story Tuesday.
A spokesman for Jackson denied the claims in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday evening.
"The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., unequivocally deny Tommy Bennett's false claims of harassment, retaliation and discrimination," PUSH spokeswoman Lauren Love said in a written statement. "We are fully cooperating with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and expect to be fully exonerated."
Read the full story on Windy City Times.
Tommy R. Bennett filed a complaint, which includes shocking allegations about Jackson's behavior toward the openly gay staffer including an allegation that Jackson propositioned him, with the City of Chicago's Commission on Human Rights.
The 55 year-old Bennett, a regular on the Tom Joyner Radio show and member of Barack Obama's LGBT Leadership Council, worked for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition for more than two years as the National Director of Community Affairs.
Bennett claims that he had to escort women to Jackson's room and "clean up his room after sexual intercourse with women. Mr. Bennett believes he was forced to do these tasks due to his sexual orientation," adding that he had to escort women to such places as the Sheraton Hotel in New York and the Wynn Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas.
Jackson has denied the allegations in a legal response that was filed in July 2010 and resurfaced when the Windy City Times published a story Tuesday.
A spokesman for Jackson denied the claims in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times on Thursday evening.
"The Rainbow PUSH Coalition and Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., unequivocally deny Tommy Bennett's false claims of harassment, retaliation and discrimination," PUSH spokeswoman Lauren Love said in a written statement. "We are fully cooperating with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and expect to be fully exonerated."
Read the full story on Windy City Times.