(Headline USA) A top White House official who works so closely with first lady Jill Biden that he earned honorary “husband” status was accused this week of verbal sexual harassment and bullying that his supervisors had failed to address, leaving him to continue his reign of terror and help turn the executive mansion into a toxic workplace.
Anthony Bernal, a top aide to Jill Biden, allegedly has a history of making questionable and inappropriate comments to his colleagues, according to the New York Post.
For example, the openly gay staffer on multiple occasions speculated about the penis sizes of his colleagues, including political aides and Secret Service agents.
At one point, Bernal allegedly told a colleague he had a small penis during a dispute. On another occasion, he allegedly commented on a “staffer’s bulge in his khakis.”
“It was a lot of inappropriate remarks—talking about other people’s attractiveness and speculating about their sex lives at very weird moments,” a source in the Biden White House told the Post. “That’s actually sexual harassment.”
The staffers who leveled the accusations said this is not new behavior for Bernal. He allegedly made similar comments in previous roles in the Biden campaign and during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
“I’m surprised it has taken this long for so many staffers to speak out,” a former top Biden aide said. “I wouldn’t be shocked if this empowered current and past staff to move forward.”
Some staffers, however, said they worried that Bernal was considered “untouchable” because of his close ties to Jill Biden, who reportedly viewed him as her “work husband.”
Another source said publicly leveling the allegations against Bernal could result in retaliation.
“Working for the Bidens is like living in another century. You really cannot speak up without fear of personal or professional retaliation,” the source explained.
Bernal “is by far the worst and most well-known abuser, but the Biden White House is a magnet for ugly and abusive workplace behavior,” the source added.
The White House defended Bernal in a statement, saying they were “confident” in his character.
“His many fans at the White House know him to be both gracious and tough, holding himself up to the highest standards, with a heart dedicated to public service,” White House chief of staff Jeff Zients told the Post. “It is disappointing that he is the target of unfounded attacks from unnamed sources.”
