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Steve Wynn: Casino mogul quits as Republican finance chair | Steve Wynn: Casino mogul quits as Republican finance chair |
(35 minutes later) | |
US casino mogul Steve Wynn has resigned as finance chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) amid sexual harassment allegations. | US casino mogul Steve Wynn has resigned as finance chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) amid sexual harassment allegations. |
A Wall Street Journal report on Friday alleged that the 76-year-old billionaire harassed massage therapists and forced one staff member to have sex with him. | A Wall Street Journal report on Friday alleged that the 76-year-old billionaire harassed massage therapists and forced one staff member to have sex with him. |
Mr Wynn has denied wrongdoing, calling the stories "preposterous". | Mr Wynn has denied wrongdoing, calling the stories "preposterous". |
RNC chair Ronna McDaniel told US media she had accepted his resignation. | RNC chair Ronna McDaniel told US media she had accepted his resignation. |
Mr Wynn has blamed his ex-wife, who he is fighting in court, for the "slander". | Mr Wynn has blamed his ex-wife, who he is fighting in court, for the "slander". |
"The instigation of these accusations is the continued work of my ex-wife Elaine Wynn, with whom I am involved in a terrible and nasty lawsuit," the billionaire said in a statement that his public relations team sent to the BBC on Friday. | "The instigation of these accusations is the continued work of my ex-wife Elaine Wynn, with whom I am involved in a terrible and nasty lawsuit," the billionaire said in a statement that his public relations team sent to the BBC on Friday. |
What he is accused of | |
According to the Wall Street Journal, which said it had interviewed dozens of people who worked with Mr Wynn, he is accused of engaging in a pattern of abuse in which he often harassed massage therapists while alone in his private office. | According to the Wall Street Journal, which said it had interviewed dozens of people who worked with Mr Wynn, he is accused of engaging in a pattern of abuse in which he often harassed massage therapists while alone in his private office. |
The gambling industry giant paid $7.5m (£5.2m) to one manicurist who alleged she had been forced into sex by Mr Wynn, the paper claims citing court documents. | The gambling industry giant paid $7.5m (£5.2m) to one manicurist who alleged she had been forced into sex by Mr Wynn, the paper claims citing court documents. |
Female employees would fake appointments in order to avoid seeing him, or enlist others to pretend to be their assistants in order to avoid being alone with him. | Female employees would fake appointments in order to avoid seeing him, or enlist others to pretend to be their assistants in order to avoid being alone with him. |
Some would even hide in bathrooms or closets if they heard he was coming to their salon, the paper claimed. | Some would even hide in bathrooms or closets if they heard he was coming to their salon, the paper claimed. |
Democrats attack Republican 'silence' | |
Mr Wynn is also a Republican Party donor and fundraiser. | |
After harassment allegations were made against Hollywood executive producer Harvey Weinstein last year, Ms McDaniel and other leading Republicans called for the Democratic Party to return his donations. | |
Now some Democrats are asking if the same rules should apply regarding allegations against Mr Wynn. | |
The Democratic National Committee has attacked the RNC for remaining silent. | |
In an October statement, Ms McDaniel wrote: "If Democrats and the DNC truly stand up for women like they say they do, then returning this dirty money should be a no brainer." |