Vermont DA Branded ‘Archie Bunker From Prosecutors’ Over Claims He Called Female Colleague ‘Whore’
A Vermont prosecutor has been branded the “Archie Bunker of prosecutors” after a damning investigation found he called a female colleague a “whore,” told others to avoid fast food, and that Peloton bikes are for “fat people like you.” goods.
John Lavoie could be impeached — the first in the state in 50 years — for allegedly making misogynistic, racist and disparaging remarks about his female staff.
He has been compared to the All in the Family character Archie Bunker (played by Carroll O’Connor), who often made off-the-cuff derogatory remarks.
Despite his fellow prosecutors’ demands for his resignation, Lavoie has refused to resign at least twice, arguing that he has worked with the same people for decades, never received a complaint, and that he was just joking.
“These aren’t people I met two, three months ago, these are people I’ve been around for 20 years,” he said. NBC5. “I am the same man I have been all along. And I think I should apologize for suddenly getting out of line and on time right now.
“I wonder if anyone thought to ask these employees – who are supposedly so angry with me – if they want me to leave.”
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John Lavoie could be impeached — the first in the state in 50 years — for allegedly making misogynistic, racist and disparaging remarks about his female staff — including telling them not to eat lunch and referring to a “whore”
He has been compared to the All in the Family character Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor as Archie), who often made derogatory remarks
Lavoie, who did not receive a copy of the study reportreportedly apologized to his staff on Tuesday.
While the Executive Committee of State’s Attorney cannot force Lavoie to resign, they have taken their case to the Professional Conduct Board, the State Ethics Commission and the Legislative Committee Impeachment Investigation.
John Campbell, the commission’s executive director, said: ‘We are committed to ensuring that every member of the department, including our prosecutors, is held to these high standards. And most importantly, we are committed to protecting and supporting our state employees to ensure their workplaces are free from harassment and discrimination.”
The damning report, released April 27, contained several allegations from Lavoie’s employees.
Several confirmed to investigators that Lavoie referred to a member of staff as a “[redacted] whore” and often said things like, “When [redacted] whore come here, don’t let her go’ and ‘True is [redacted] whore?’
He also reportedly referred to the same employee as a “slut,” which he denied saying.
Lavoie, who has been a lawyer for nearly 40 years, is also said to have used the “c-word” “on a regular basis” in the office, which was confirmed by two witnesses. The lawyer denied ever crossing that line.
He also allegedly told another employee that her boyfriend looked like a man before swiping the framed photo onto his “backside”, and also pulled an employee’s badge – which was on a string around her neck – until it broke before tucking him ‘on top’. of her dress,” and told another employee that she had “beautiful breasts,” the report read.
Lavoie also made several weighty remarks about women in the office, including “squeezing” a woman’s stomach and telling her, “I don’t think you need lunch today.”
The employee had asked him if she should get KFC or Taco Bell for lunch because she was “very hungry” before he made the hurtful remarks, which left the woman crying during her lunch after making a “healthier” choice before she threw it away.
The young woman, who was considering a career in law, later told a school counselor about the incident, the report said.
Another woman claimed he told her that Peloton bikes are “for fat people like you” and “he made me cry again.”
Lavoie denied that either incident ever happened.
In addition to the misogynistic and sexist remarks, Lavoie also reportedly used the n-word and at one point yelled, “F****** n**** b****.”
Several employees were able to confirm to investigators that Lavoie refers to one employee as a “[redacted] whore.’ He also allegedly told another employee that her boyfriend looked like a man before swiping the framed photo onto his “backside”, and also pulled an employee’s badge – which was on a string around her neck – until it broke before tucking him ‘on top’. of her dress,” and told another employee that she had “beautiful breasts,” the report read
He also reportedly made fun of Indians, calling Indians “woo woo Indians.”
He also made demeaning comments about his employees’ intelligence, as well as comments about competence.
Lavoie reportedly called his staff “f********” and “retards,” and even told one of his employees, “[redacted] think you’re not the office retard, maybe you’re just autistic or maybe it’s just Asperger’s.’
He also referred to a disabled worker, who is paralyzed from the waist down, as an “asshole,” the report said.
Lavoie, a Democrat, won the position of state attorney last year after 20 years as a deputy attorney at the firm.
The allegations were brought to the department in March, and now Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski has announced that they are taking the first steps to impeach Lavoie.
‘We take this seriously. We want to make sure justice is served and we want to make sure the process is fair, thorough and transparent,” she said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The “long and rigorous process” begins with the establishment of a bipartisan seven-person committee to collect evidence.