Modified: September 1, 2021 7:14am
Created: September 1, 2021 7:10am
September 1, 2021
Mr. Mark C. Poloncarz
Erie County Executive
95 Franklin Street, 16th Floor
Buffalo, NY 14202
Mr. Jeremy Zellner
Erie County Board of Elections Commissioner
134 West Eagle Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
Dear Mr. Poloncarz and Mr. Zellner,
Both of you have taken strong stances against sexual harassment by government employees. Zero tolerance is your benchmark:
“Sexual harassment in any form can never be tolerated.”
Source: Mark Poloncarz, www.twitter.com, 8/3/21
Both of you have gone to great lengths to defend and believe women who make sexual harassment claims.
“We need to listen to women and understand that there’s a lot of structural change that needs to take place in this country, top to bottom.” he added.
Source: Jeremy Zellner, www.buffalonews.com, Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner reacts to NY AG’s findings about Gov. Cuomo, 8/3/21
“All allegations of workplace sexual harassment must be taken seriously.”
Source: Mark Poloncarz, www.twitter.com, 2/27/21
As Erie County Executive, you signed Executive Order #008 on March 12th, 2012, which outlined this zero-tolerance edict as the official policy of Erie County government:
“1. It is ordered that the policy of the County of Erie is that sexual harassment is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Source: Mark Poloncarz, Executive Order #008, 3/12/12
We shall see if both of you truly believe women based on a serious, disturbing, and quite vulgar allegation of sexual and verbal harassment against a woman by Erie County Board of Elections employee Mr. Glenn McLaughlin on Tuesday, August 31st, 2021.
Mrs. Jennifer Czora states she was idling in her vehicle near Board of Elections headquarters at 134 West Eagle Street, Buffalo, New York 14202, when she stopped to ask an Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy for directions on where to park.
This is when Mrs. Czora states Mr. McLaughlin noticed an upside-down American flag on her vehicle, and asked the Sheriff’s Deputy “is she in distress or something?”
It is then Mr. McLaughlin is to have alleged to have said to Mrs. Czora:
“Fu-- you. Shut your bit-- mouth.”
Mrs. Czora then described the most vulgar form of harassment when she states your Erie County Board of Elections employee gestured to his genitals and said:
“Suck my di--.”
It would be rather unfortunate for Mr. McLaughlin to lie and deny he made these comments, since he made them in public and in the presence of an Erie County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Adding insult to injury, Mr. McLaughlin appears to double down on his sexual and verbal harassment of this woman and total stranger. When Mrs. Czora was walking back to her vehicle from an appointment, she states Mr. McLaughlin harassed and taunted her again. This time she recorded the end of their conversation where he stated:
“You want me to say what I said before?”
I’m less inclined to hear what Mr. McLaughlin said before and am more concerned with what both of you are going to do about this right now. Pardon my doubt that you’ll do anything other than sweep this alleged sexual and verbal harassment under the rug, only because Mr. McLaughlin is politically connected to the Erie County Democratic Committee and the Town of Eden Democratic Committee.
His father is believed to be a former Democratic Councilman in Eden and a former Poloncarz political patronage appointee. Mr. Fran McLaughlin is the former Poloncarz Administration Veteran’s Services Commissioner and is believed to be the father of Glenn McLaughlin.
These allegations are serious, concerning, disturbing and could lead to termination. This leads to many questions that need to be answered about what is going to happen next pertaining to these allegations and Mr. McLaughlin.
- Like all victims of verbal and sexual harassment, is Mrs. Czora to be believed? Do you believe her?
- What disciplinary action is going to take place against Mr. McLaughlin?
- Should he be terminated for his alleged harassment?
- Why are Board of Elections employees engaging with members of the public at all, when they should be inside West Eagle Street working?
- How long was his smoke break or union mandated break that allowed him to be outside your office in the time for a woman to see him twice, on her way to and way back from an appointment?
- Will this alleged harassment be tolerated just because the Board of Elections employee is politically connected?
Thank you for your prompt response and investigation into these serious claims. The entire community eagerly awaits your responses and actions, especially women that you have said repeatedly should be believed in instances of harassment and intimidation.
Sincerely,
Hon. Stefan I. Mychajliw Jr.
ERIE COUNTY COMPTROLLER
cc: Erie County Elections Commissioner Ralph Mohr
Erie County Personnel Commissioner Mr. Timothy Hogues
Erie County Legislature Chairwoman Hon. April Baskin
Erie County Legislature Majority Leader Hon. Timothy Meyers
Erie County Legislature Minority Leader Hon. Joseph Lorigo
Erie County Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Director James Blackwell
For pdf of letter, click HERE