Bloomberg Booed After Answer on Sexual Harassment

Warren urged him to release women from nondisclosure agreements
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 19, 2020 9:14 PM CST
Bloomberg Booed After Answer on Sexual Harassment
Warren speaks as Bloomberg looks on during a Democratic presidential primary debate Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, in Las Vegas, hosted by NBC News and MSNBC.   (AP Photo/John Locher)

Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic rivals have been pummeling Michael Bloomberg throughout the Democratic debate in Las Vegas—and she got the audience to boo the former New York City mayor on one issue. After Bloomberg—asked about the alleged culture of sexual harassment in his company—said he had women in positions of power in his company, Warren told him that answer wasn't good enough and said that if he wanted to, he could release women from nondisclosure agreements they had signed, reports CBS. "If they wish to speak out and tell their side of their story, that's OK with you? You’re releasing them on television tonight?" she asked.

Boos could be heard from the audience after Bloomberg refused to confirm that he was releasing the women from the agreements, saying, "They signed those agreements and we'll live with it," the Guardian reports. He said the company had very few NDAs, and "none of them accuse me of doing anything except maybe they don't like a joke I told." Joe Biden backed up Warren, saying: "It's easy. All the mayor has to do is say, you are released from the nondisclosure agreement. Period." Bloomberg said the NDAs "were made consensually and they have every right to expect that they will stay private." (More Democratic debate stories.)

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