"The Mayor is not sending to his appointees the message that sex harassment will not be tolerated," Ms. Welsh said.

It is covering, she adds, a series of issues affecting freedom of expression, including racial and sex harassment.

The place is a scandal - sex, bribery, harassment, you name it.

"Pure sex harassment is only 14 cases, and we feel two-thirds of them may be weak in foundation."

Sexual harassment has been prohibited in educational settings and applies also to both opposite and same sex harassment by students.

During my tenure in the executive branch, as a manager, as a policy maker and as a person, I have adamantly condemned sex harassment.

There is no member of this committee or this Senate who feels stronger about sex harassment than I do.

As a manager, I made every effort to take swift and decisive action when sex harassment raised or reared its ugly head.

I am here specifically to respond to allegations of sex harassment in the workplace.

"This is probably the most egregious case of sex harassment that the Chicago district office has seen," Ms. Smason said in an interview.