New York Attorney General sues the Weinstein Company

Disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein created a culture of abuse and intimidation at his company that routinely violated New York State’s human rights laws, according to a new lawsuit filed by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

The 38-page court document filed by Schneiderman on Sunday lays out a laundry list of abuses and business violations including claims that board members at The Weinstein Co. were complicit in the former film mogul’s actions.   

One of the most shocking revelations Schneiderman made during his four-month ‘exhaustive review of company records and emails’ was that the former studio head regularly demeaned employees using a catalog of ‘obscenities and insults’ aimed at their sexuality or physical attributes.

During one occasion, the civil suit states: ‘HW [Harvey Weinstein] told a male assistant he was fired for… being “just a f*****g f****t boy, a stupid f*****g f****t boy.”‘

The suit adds that: ‘HW routinely used similar epithets attacking employees masculinity.’

Brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, outside the Mann Chinese Theater after the red carpet opening of the movie ‘Inglorious Bastards’ (Pictured 2009)

Some of the most jarring allegations against Harvey Weinstein, referred to as ‘HW’ in the complaint, include: 

• ‘HW’ used a barrage of gender based obscenities, vulgar name-calling, sexualized interactions, threats of violence… against women
• ‘HW regularly called female employees “c**t” or “p***y” when he was angry with them or even just instead of calling them by their first names
• ‘HW told a male assistant he was fired for… being “just a f*****g f****t boy, a stupid f*****g f****t boy 
• HW repeatedly and persistently sexually harassed female employees at The Weinstein Company (TWC) by personally creating a hostile work environment 
• HW made women engage in sexual or demeaning conduct as a quid pro quo for continued employment or career advancement 
• Bob Weinstein (RW) and senior executives at TWC are liable because they were aware of and acquiesced in repeated and persistent unlawful conduct
• HW, who stands over six feet tall, used his stature and threatening statements on numerous occasions to demean and frighten female employees
• One one occasion, HW intimidated a female employee by threatening to ‘cut her loins’ traumatizing the employee and causing her ‘severe stress’ 
• HW told several employees throughout the relevant time period that, in substance, I will kill you’ and ‘I will kill your family’ 
• ‘TWC employed one group of female employees whose primary job it was to accompany HW to events and to facilitate HW’s sexual conquests and known within the company as his ‘wing women’
•  

Weinstein would allegedly attack female workers with the same vigor, regularly ‘using gender stereotypes to insult and belittle’ women who he employed at his company. 

Schneiderman claims that ‘HW regularly called female employees “c**t” or “p***y” when he was angry with them or felt they had done a task poorly or incorrectly, or even just instead of calling them by their first names.’ 

‘On other occasions, he asked female employees if they had their period, including asking an employee if her tampon was “up too far.” He also accused female employees of wanting special treatment because of their gender,’ the document notes.  

The AG believes that senior managers at the company were complicit in the abuse and failed to follow proper procedures following employee complaints concerning Weinstein’s behavior per New York state guidelines.   

The court complaint specifically cites the ‘COO’ of Weinstein Co. – David Glasser – as one of the senior executives who failed to act but does not refer to him by name. 

Schneiderman began investigating Weinstein after multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct surfaced late last year. 

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman speaks during a press conference at the office of the New York Attorney General, July 19, 2016

The civil suit also places the blame at the feet of Bob Weinstein, Harvey’s brother and former business partner, claiming that he ‘acquiesced in allowing [Weinstein] to create a hostile work environment and engage in sexual misconduct that was known to him, or which he was responsible for preventing.’

David Glasser (pictured) arrives at the amfAR Gala Cannes 2017 at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on May 25, 2017 in Cap d’Antibes, France

The litigation states that Bob, referred to as ‘RW’ in the documents, knew of the sexual misconduct allegations as early as 2014. 

The Attorney General said the lawsuit comes after employees at The Weinstein Co. suffered a ‘years-long gender-based hostile work environment, a pattern of quid pro quo sexual harassment, and routine misuse of corporate resources for unlawful ends that extended from in or about 2005 through at least in or about October 2017.’

The complaint also makes mention of Weinstein’s alleged habit of placing women in ‘sexualized and demeaning roles’ within the company, forcing them to ‘facilitate and support his sexual activity with third parties.’ 

‘TWC employed one group of female employees whose primary job it was to accompany HW to events and to facilitate HW’s sexual conquests,’ the AG’s suit states. 

‘These women were kept on TWC’s payroll in TWC’s New York, Los Angeles, and London offices. While they had different titles, as a practical matter their primary responsibility included taking HW to parties at which he could meet young women, and introducing him to young women seeking opportunities at TWC with whom he could attempt to engage in sexual relations. These women were described by some witnesses as members of HW’s TWC “roster” or his “wing women.”‘ 

The lawsuit states that the AG’s office conducted ‘ an exhaustive review of company records and emails,’ over a fourth month period

Furthermore, the investigation accuses Weinstein of issuing threats to TWC employees and said Weinstein hired ‘a group of female employees whose primary job it was to accompany HW (sic) to events and to facilitate HW’s sexual conquests.’    

‘One of the members of this entourage was flown from London to New York to teach HW’s assistants how to dress and smell more attractive to HW,’ the complaint states.  

Court documents state that in 2014 and 2015: ‘HW exposed himself to a female employee and made her take dictation from him while he leered at her, naked on his bed.

‘That same employee described how HW would insist that she sit next to him in the back seat of his chauffeured vehicle and would place his hand on her upper thigh and buttocks near her genitalia and rub her body without her consent. 

‘When she attempted to place bags or other barriers between them to make it harder for him to reach her, he moved the barriers or repositioned himself so that the unwelcome sexual contact could continue.’ 

Schneiderman’s office has also raised ‘grave concerns’ on Saturday in regard to the sale of the Weinstein Co. to a group of investors being led by Maria Contreras-Sweet. 

Contreras-Sweet had previously been the head of the Small Business Administration under President Barack Obama. 

The imminent sale could wrap as soon as Sunday if contracts are signed in an adequate time. They would still have a 30 day wait until the deal was formally closed, a source revealed to the New York Daily News. 

Schneiderman’s investigation was kicked off shortly after The New York Times published an extensive report detailing numerous allegations of sexual misconduct perpetrated by Weinstein over a 30 year period.

Nearly 100 women have stepped forward to level accusations against the former studio head, with allegations ranging from sexual harassment to rape. 

Some of Hollywood’s most glamorous female figures are among the choir of accusers, including Rose McGowen, Angelina Jolie and and Ashley Judd.     

Weinstein denies all the allegations made against him.