WELCOME BACK?: Marko Babineau, the powerful former...

WELCOME BACK?: Marko Babineau, the powerful former general manager of Geffen’s DGC label who resigned last September, two months before his secretary filed a suit alleging that he had sexually harassed her, has hung out his shingle as an independent record promoter.

To judge from the effusive greetings he received at a radio convention in Los Angeles recently, in what may have been his most visible industry appearance since the charges were made, many in the industry are welcoming him back with open arms--literally. At the convention, industry staffers--all males in the time that Pop Eye was watching--gave him friendly hugs and pats on the back.

But not everyone is happy to see him back in business.

“I know in this country you’re innocent until proven guilty, but I don’t want to take any chance of working with someone who might have done these things,” says one female promotion executive for a major label.

Penny Muck, Babineau’s former secretary, alleged in her November suit that her boss had masturbated at her desk, blocked her attempts to escape and ordered her to clean up afterward, among other incidents. An attorney for Muck says that his client’s suit is proceeding “full speed ahead,” with no sign of a settlement in sight.

A call to Babineau’s Bel-Air office was referred to an attourney, who did not return the call by press time.