Today, @ProPublica and @PoMoMagazine published accounts from three women who recall unwanted sexual advances from Gordon Sondland & say he retaliated against them professionally when they rejected him.
@USAmbEU Sondland, a key Trump impeachment witness, denies each allegation.
@USAmbEU Sondland, a key Trump impeachment witness, denies each allegation.
2/ Sondland called the allegations “concocted and, I believe, coordinated for political purposes.” His lawyer said “you are attempting to affect Amb. Sondland’s credibility as a fact witness in the pending impeachment inquiry”
Sondland's full statement: documentcloud.org/documents/6561…
Sondland's full statement: documentcloud.org/documents/6561…
3/ Nicole Vogel, a potential biz partner of Sondland, says that he took her to tour a room in @hotel_lucia, a hotel he owns, only to then grab her face and try to kiss her. After she rejected him, she says Sondland backtracked on investing in her business.
4/ Vogel owns @PoMoMagazine, which co-reported this story. She mentioned her experience to an editor there but was not involved in its writing or editing, nor given access to a draft before publication. The magazine partnered with ProPublica to independently report her story.
5/ Here is how she describes her decision to come forward:
6/ Sondland and his lawyer said that Vogel fabricated these claims to help the business prospects of @PoMoMagazine.
Vogel says she decided last week to stop placing the magazine in Sondland’s hotels, which will hurt their distribution.
Vogel says she decided last week to stop placing the magazine in Sondland’s hotels, which will hurt their distribution.
7/ Jana Solis, a work associate, says he exposed himself to her during a business interaction.
She also recalls falling over the back of a couch trying to get away from him.
After she made her lack of interest clear, she says Sondland called screaming about her job performance
She also recalls falling over the back of a couch trying to get away from him.
After she made her lack of interest clear, she says Sondland called screaming about her job performance
8/ Here’s how she described the effects of the incident:
9/ Natalie Sept, 27 years Sondland’s junior, met him to discuss a potential job. She says he pushed himself against her and kissed her instead.
She shoved him away.
She says his job help stopped.
She shoved him away.
She says his job help stopped.
10/ In each case, friends, family members or colleagues of the women recall being told about the encounters at the time.
12/ We work hard to get stories like this right. Please sign up for our Big Story newsletter to get more of them in your inbox as they come: go.propublica.org/bigstory-social
