Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer is blaming harassment allegations on city workers who were upset he was elected.
“It was a hostile environment from Day One,” Spencer told 101.7 The Truth’s Sherwin Hughes. “There were folks who were disrespectful, disgruntled, and I hadn’t even met them.”
The Journal Sentinel reported at least six workers accused Spencer of harassment. Tearman was cleared of allegations of discriminatory behavior in how he runs his city office, according to the paper. An investigation also found that the city’s anti-harassment policy does not apply to Spencer as an elected official.
“We should always investigate when someone makes a complaint,” Spencer explained. “(But) we need to have something in place for when someone blows the whistle falsely. They should be held accountable. (Rather than) tarnishing someone’s reputation.”
Spencer said the allegations were “right out of the playbook.”
“When you ‘cry wolf,’ the damage is already done.”
The Journal Sentinel’s Dan Bice and Alison Durr joined Wisconsin’s Morning News for more on their investigation. Listen in their player below.