A woman who once worked as an executive manager for the mayor of Anderson, Indiana, claims he sexually harassed her and tried to get her fired when she complained about it. The woman filed a federal lawsuit last week for the alleged sexual harassment.

The woman, who has worked for the city since 1993, reportedly filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2009, but that was dismissed. However, she is pursuing her claims in the lawsuit, contending the mayor first approached her sexually in 2007.

According to the Indy Channel, the woman says he made sexually inappropriate comments about her appearance and clothes. She claims the mayor asked her to go with him to Washington, D.C., and stay in a hotel with him, noting he had a bed big enough for the two of them.

The employee apparently rejected his advances and complained about the harassment and the request to stay with him in a hotel. She says he then told another city employee to hack into her email account to delete the email. He also allegedly enlisted others working for the city to help him in his plan to oust her. She says he encouraged police officers to "dig up dirt" on her, according to the Indy Channel.

The mayor has adamantly denied the allegations, claiming he has never sexually harassed anyone. He had apparently planned to hold a news conference last week, but cancelled it after news of the lawsuit got out.

Source: TheIndyChannel.com, "Woman claims sexual harassment in suit against mayor," July 28, 2011