Third sexual harassment allegation against Sen. Pete Lucido surfaces

LANSING – The Michigan Senate has retained an attorney from one of the state's top law firms to assist with a sexual harassment investigation into state Sen. Peter Lucido as a third allegation against the Shelby Township Republican surfaced over the weekend.

Kathryn Wood of Dickinson Wright will assist the Senate Business Office with an investigation into whether Lucido violated Senate rules against sexual harassment, said Amber McCann, a spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake.

The allegations all involve sexist remarks and/or Lucido visually scanning women in a way that made them feel uncomfortable while holding a hand low on their backs near their upper rear ends.

The Senate launched a sexual harassment investigation into Lucido's conduct Jan. 15 after the Michigan Advance reported on a Jan. 14 exchange between him and Advance reporter Allison Donahue outside the Senate chamber. The incident quickly drew national media attention.

On Jan. 21, Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, filed a sexual harassment complaint against Lucido related to an encounter with him shortly after the November 2018 election.

Over the weekend, Crain's Detroit Business reported on a third allegation against Lucido from Melissa Osborn, a regulatory affairs specialist with the Michigan Credit Union League.

More:Michigan senator files sexual harassment charge against Sen. Peter Lucido

More:Gretchen Whitmer speaks out on Sen. Peter Lucido's comments to reporter

Osborn described an encounter with Lucido that was similar in several ways to what McMorrow described.

Osborn said that last May she was handing out name badges at a lunch for legislators and credit union executives at the Radisson Hotel in Lansing when she felt a hand on her "lower back/upper butt."

It was Lucido, who she said held his hand there an uncomfortably long time while complimenting her on her appearance and how the plaid dress she was wearing looked on her.

His hand "was placed too low and it was uncomfortable and he just talked about my appearance for an extended period of time, a couple of minutes," Osborn said Monday on "Detroit Today" on WDET-FM.

"He was looking me up and down and it was very uncomfortable and demeaning."

She said she decided to come forward because her experience was so similar to McMorrow's.

Last week, McMorrow said Lucido uncomfortably placed his hand in about the same place during an introduction during orientation for new state senators shortly after the November 2018 election. And as with McMorrow, Osborn said Lucido was looking her up and down while speaking to her.

McMorrow said Lucido told her he could "see why" she won her Senate election.

Lucido denied the allegations from McMorrow in a text message to the Free Press.

He did not immediately respond to a text message seeking his response to Osborn's allegations.

McCann said Monday the investigation already includes both the Donahue and McMorrow incidents. She said she is not sure the Senate has had contact with Osborn, but the Senate Business Office will now reach out to Osborn as part of its Lucido investigation.

Dickinson Wright, based in Detroit, is one of Michigan's largest law firms, with offices in Lansing and several other Michigan cities, as well as in several other states, Washington, D.C. and in Toronto.

Wood was selected as a “2018 Women in the Law” honoree by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

She focuses her practice on employment litigation, commercial litigation and appellate work, and has handled cases involving harassment, whistleblowers, and retaliation, according to the Dickinson Wright website. Aside from litigation, Wood also has experience conducting investigations into harassment and discrimination, the firm said.

Wood holds a bachelor's degree and a law degree from U-M.

McCann could not provide an estimate of how long the investigation will take, or how much it will cost.

Donahue tried to question Lucido, R-Shelby Township, while he was surrounded by a group of male high school students from his alma mater, De La Salle Collegiate, a Catholic high school in Warren.

"You’ve heard of De La Salle, right?” the Michigan Advance quoted Lucido as asking Donahue.

When Donahue said she had not, Lucido said: “It’s an all-boys school,” adding: “You should hang around — you could have a lot of fun with these boys, or they could have a lot of fun with you.”

The students then burst into laughter, the online publication reported.

Contacted by the Free Press, Lucido initially did not dispute the accuracy of the quotations, but said he felt they had been taken out of context and out of proportion.

Later that day, he said he was misquoted.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4.  Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.