Georgetown adviser resigns after #metoo tweet appearing to wish conservative woman experience sex abuse
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
A Georgetown University adviser came under fire after telling a conservative female commentator he hoped she would have her own “#metoo moment,” wishing she would experience sexual harassment or assault.
Jeffrey Bernstein, who was a Master of Foreign Service advisory board member at Georgetown, resigned from his post after he got into a heated Twitter exchange with CRTV host Allie Stuckey, who said the #metoo social media movement to expose systemic sex abuse was a symptom of a broken world, not a broken legal system.
“Wishing you a #metoo movement,” Bernstein tweeted on Saturday. “Maybe then you won’t be so insensitive.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Stuckey immediately fired back. She tweeted Georgetown a screenshot of his tweet and wrote: “Someone on your MSFS board just told me he hopes I get sexually harassed or assaulted…Is this the kind of standard your university holds for your advisers?”
On Monday morning, Georgetown Dean Joel Hellman released a statement saying Bernstein had cut ties with the university.
“We appreciate Mr. Bernstein's efforts to apologize for recent comments deeply inconsistent with our values and mission and have accepted his resignation from the MSFS Board of Advisers,” Hellman said. “MSFS will continue its dedication to preparing women and men for leadership roles in global affairs.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Bernstein, who was also managing director at Solebury Capital, was then fired from his position at the equity advisory firm.
“We learned about Mr. Bernstein’s conduct last evening and immediately investigated the matter,” a company spokeswoman wrote to Fox News in a statement. “Based on that review, we promptly terminated his employment with Solebury.”
Bernstein apologized multiple times before he deleted his social media accounts.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
“I apologize for making a stupid and insensitive comment. I would never wish harm on anyone and apologized to Allie repeatedly,” Bernstein said. “I feel terribly. I have been a continuous voice against gender bias. As a father of three, I am embarrassed and this is a lesson for me that words have power.”
Stuckey told Campus Reform she believes his apology was sincere, but only after he had been "dragged through the mud.”