Report: Pressure Mounts On Univ. Of California Regents To Address Sexual Harassment Claims Against PodcastOne's Norm Pattiz

Pattiz

HUFFPOST reports that the pressure on the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA to address sexual harassment and workplace misconduct allegations against UC Board of Regents member and PODCASTONE founder NORM PATTIZ has increased with CALIFORNIA Lt. Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM and other leaders from the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA system and the state DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION sending a letter to the UC Board of Regents asking why no action has been taken almost a year after the initial allegations.

The letter, from NEWSOM, state Superintendent of Public Instruction TOM TORLAKSON, and Student Regent PAUL MONGE and sent to UC President JANET NAPOLITANO and UC Board of Regents Chair GEORGE KIEFFER, asks the Board of Regents to state what they have done or wil do about PATTIZ.  PATTIZ was accused of sexual harassment by comedian and podcaster HEATHER MCDONALD in late 2016; MCDONALD released a tape of PATTIZ at a recording session interrupting a spot for a memory foam bra by joking, "Wait a minute? Can I hold your breasts? Would that help? These (hands) are memory foam. My memory."  PATTIZ apologized for the incident, but another former PODCASTONE employee, RAYMOND HERNANDEZ, sued PATTIZ and PODCASTONE for wrongful termination, claiming that PATTIZ brandished a gun during a meeting with him, which PATTIZ denied, calling the suit "absurd."  And reports in the LOS ANGELES TIMES and UC-BERKELEY's DAILY CALIFORNIAN detailed accusations from former PODCASTONE staffer JI MIN PARK about comments he directed at her, including calling her the "hottest Asian" and telling her "If I wasn’t married, I’d be chasing you down a hallway right now"; he also allegedly told her she looked like a schoolgirl and that he had seen "too many videos" with schoolgirls in them.

The HUFFPOST article notes that neither the Board of Regents nor anyone else has the power to remove PATTIZ, who would have to voluntarily resign; his current term runs through 2026.  The article also cites two sources for the additional claim that Gov. JERRY BROWN wants PATTIZ to resign and has had a senior staffer ask for PATTIZ's resignation, which PATTIZ refused.  The UC Student Association called for PATTIZ to resign in a resolution passed in JANUARY.

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