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Gillibrand admits to "human error" in staff sexual misconduct investigation

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

While campaigning in Iowa on Tuesday, 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) addressed a Politico report that a staffer had resigned over her office's handling of sexual misconduct allegations, per AP.

"We decided that because of some post-investigation human errors that future investigations should be done by our new chief of staff, who actually has experience in this area. ... If there are ways to improve, we certainly will. We always have taken this seriously and investigated it thoroughly and treated every person who’s come forward with the respect and dignity they deserve."

Context: Gillibrand's office had determined that allegations against one of her closest aides "did not meet the standards of sexual harassment," prompting the staffer who filed the complaint to resign. The male aide was later dismissed when Politico presented Gillibrand's office with more allegations of misconduct. Deputy chief of staff Anne Bradley, who led the investigation, is now resigning, Gillibrand confirmed on Tuesday.

Why it matters: Gillibrand has been one of the Senate's most outspoken advocates against workplace sexual harassment and has made it a central focus of her presidential campaign.

Go deeper: Kirsten Gillibrand: Everything you need to know about the 2020 candidate

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AOC and Ilhan Omar want to block Biden’s former chief of staff

Reps. Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are boosting a petition against Joe Biden nominating his former chief of staff to a new role in his administration, calling Bruce Reed a "deficit hawk."

Why it matters: Progressives are mounting their pressure campaign after the president-elect did not include any of their favored candidates in his first slate of Cabinet nominees, and they are serious about installing some of their allies, blocking anyone who doesn't pass their smell test — and making noise if they are not heard.

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Biden introduces top national security team

President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Tuesday at an event introducing the incoming administration's top national security officials, where he told the story of his stepfather being the only one of 900 children at his school in Poland to survive the Holocaust.

What they're saying: "At the end of the war, he made a break from a death march into the woods in Bavaria. From his hiding place, he heard a deep rumbling sound. It was a tank. But instead of the iron cross, he saw painted on its side a five pointed white star," Blinken said.

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