Dennis Gabryszak is a New York assemblyman representing the state's 143rd district who very soon will no longer hold that job. Yesterday, three former female aides filed separate claims that describe how awful it can be for women working for powerful men. Among those claims:

  • Gabryszak sent one staffer a video that appeared to depict him receiving a blow job in a bathroom.
  • Gabryszak told the women a joke about having a tattoo on his penis.
  • Gabryszak told one of the women, "I got a boner when I walked into the office today when I saw you."
  • Gabryszak invited one of the female staffers to dinner and relayed to her that he is "more of a 'butt' than a 'boobs' guy."
  • Gabryszak also asked the same woman to accompany him to a massage parlor.
  • Gabryszak repeatedly invited the women to sleep at his apartment, or when they were on the road, in his hotel room.
  • Gabryszak is said to have talked regularly about visiting prostitutes as well as a strip club called "Double Vision."
  • When one of the aides told Gabryszak she would be late after spilling coffee on herself, Gabryszak texted her saying he wanted to "lick her."
  • Gabryszak took one of the staffers to a concert on Valentine's Day causing the woman to immediately leave upon realizing it was a "couple's concert."
  • When one of the staffers becoming married, Gabryszak offered her a salary of $100,000 to move to Buffalo and "showered her with gifts."
  • Gabryszak threatened to fire one of the women if "he didn't like the way she looked that day."

According to one of the claimants, who had replaced another as communications director, she notified Gabryszak's chief of staff Adam Locher of Gabryszak's behavior. But Locher, she says, refused to get involved and directed the woman to bring her concerns directly to Gabryszak. The third woman, Gabryszak's legislative director, echoed that allegation.

Of course, the nature of these allegations are far from exclusive to Gabryszak. Last year, a 71-year-old state assemblyman from Brooklyn named Vito Lopez had his seat taken from him after two staffers revealed that he sexually assaulted them. Earlier this month ex-San Diego mayor Bob Filner was sentenced to 90 days of house arrest and three years of probation for sexually assaulting three of his staff members. Pennsylvanian GOP leader Bob Kerns was accused this year of drugging and raping one of his staffers.

Gabryszak has been married for 37 years and has two children. He was first elected to the state assembly in 2006. You can read the full claims against him here.

[photo via Dennis Gabryszak's Flickr]