El Segundo Councilwoman Accused of Sex Harassment

The city of El Segundo is investigating allegations that City Council member Nancy Wernick sexually harassed a male city employee.

The allegations surfaced last week when Wernick, who was elected to the City Council in April, returned from Sacramento on June 3 and was told by City Manager James Morrison and City Atty. Leland Dolley that a sexual harassment complaint was lodged by a male employee.

Wernick said Tuesday that she was shocked and doesn’t believe she has done anything wrong or made any inappropriate overtures to anyone.

“This is a political play to shut me up,” Wernick said, noting that she has not been in agreement with other council members on certain issues. “That’s because I have no reverence for the bureaucracy.”

The city manager will not discuss the allegations while an investigation is pending. All he would do was release a statement that said: “The City Council has directed an independent and fair inquiry be conducted into allegations of harassment made against Mayor Pro Tem Wernick. The City Council wishes to insure [sic] and protect the privacy rights of all involved and for that reason will make no further comment with respect to the inquiry.”

The city has hired attorney Richard Whitmore, who specializes in sexual harassment lawsuits filed against government agencies, to conduct the investigation.