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Former staffer apologizes for predator comment

A former Democratic Party staffer has apologized for calling her one-time boss a "predator."

Posted Updated

By
Mark Binker
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sallie Leslie, a former administrator at the N.C. Democratic Party, has apologized for calling her former boss "a predator."
Leslie made the comments as a sexual harassment scandal erupted around Jay Parmley, the party's former executive director. Parmley denied wrongdoing in the case but ended up resigning as a result of the intensely negative publicity.

Parmley was accused of making unwanted sexual advances on a male staffer. Leslie said at the time she was troubled by the failure of other senior leaders to check Parmley's alleged behavior. 

"I, quite frankly, could not be a part of any organization that protected a predator," Leslie said when asked why she quit her job.

Today, she issued a written apology to Parmley through his lawyer, Woody Webb.

"I hereby apologize for my unfortunate and unsubstantiated use of the word "predator" to describe your client to the media," Leslie wrote to Webb. 

Webb, who had threatened legal action over the remark, said Leslie's apology settles the matter as far as Parmley is concerned. 

 

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