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Ample Proof Found Lacking on Harassment by Governor

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<i> from Associated Press</i>

Gov. Mike Lowry probably touched a former aide in a way that she found offensive, but a jury probably wouldn’t convict him of sexual harassment, an investigator selected by the governor’s office says.

Susanne Albright, Lowry’s former deputy press secretary, says the governor once greeted her at his mansion in nothing more than a towel and later joked that she was lucky he hadn’t dropped it.

Albright also says Lowry groped her, made lewd remarks about women wearing swimsuits in cold weather, invited her into his hotel room and said he wanted to move in with her.

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But in a report released last week, attorney Mary Alice Theiler said she found no clear evidence of sexual harassment. Theiler called Albright a “credible person,” but added that “with the facts as I know them, I do not believe a jury would find in her favor.”

In a statement Friday, Theiler said her report shouldn’t be viewed as vindication of the governor.

“This report puts responsibility squarely on his shoulders for conduct which distressed and offended a valuable employee,” Theiler said.

“This report concludes that the system failed Susanne Albright, and the governor bears the ultimate responsibility for that system. He will be held accountable for correcting the problems that led to that failure.”

Lowry’s aides chose Theiler, who has represented a number of women in sexual harassment cases, to investigate Albright’s claims.

Albright, 37, has not filed a formal complaint. Her attorney, Larry Finegold, dismissed the report, saying Theiler found Albright credible and turned up clear instances of sexual harassment, but refused to call it that.

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The governor said he was chastened by the report, adding that he takes responsibility for not noticing Albright’s discomfort. He vowed to guard against a repeat.

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