Official Says He Didn’t Harass

Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby, facing accusations of sexual harassment, testified Monday in a civil suit that he did not inappropriately touch a county employee or pry into her personal life.

Norby said that he merely returned a compliment in January 2003 by commenting on an outfit worn by Pamela Mokler, former executive director of the county’s Office on Aging, after she sought him out at a meeting and admired his tie. He said he was new to the county, having been elected in November 2002, and was trying to get to know people by engaging in casual chatter.

Several weeks later, when Mokler came to his office to plead for money for her agency, Norby said, he put his arm around her shoulder to lead her into his office -- a behavior he said he also extends to male guests.

He acknowledged that he had asked where she lived out of curiosity but denied brushing her breast with his arm as they looked at a wall map together. He also denied using profanity and making a derogatory comment about Mexican immigrants.

“I did not use the ‘f’ word or make any derogatory comments,” Norby said. “I don’t use language like that in my office.”

Mokler sued the county in January 2004 for wrongful termination, breach of contract, sexual harassment and retaliation for complaining about alleged county violations of federal law.

Orange County Superior Court Judge W. Michael Hayes dismissed the wrongful-termination and breach-of-contract allegations before the civil trial began but allowed a jury to consider the accusations of sexual harassment and retaliation.

Norman Watkins, the county’s attorney, contended that Mokler was properly fired because she had violated county policy in negotiating contracts, including one involving a former boyfriend.

Norby testified that Mokler’s allegation was the first time he had been accused of sexual harassment in a career that included 24 years as a junior high and high school teacher. He said his initial encounters with Mokler lasted only a minute or two after she sought him out, though they spoke longer during a third meeting in his office.

At one point, Norby apologized for his often garrulous answers, telling the jury he had waited several weeks for an opportunity to take the witness stand and give his side.

The trial is expected to conclude in two weeks.