- The top of House Power’s Warfighting Evaluation Middle was investigated for misconduct.
- Air Power Occasions reported Andrew Cox saved his job, regardless of unprofessional conduct and misconduct.
- Cox reportedly wore a chartreuse mankini over his garments within the workplace and saved intercourse toys at work.
A House Power head analyst saved his job after being investigated for misconduct at work — together with carrying a chartreuse mankini within the workplace and storing intercourse toys at work — in keeping with new paperwork launched to Air Power Occasions.
Andrew Cox, whereas serving as director of the Pentagon’s House Safety and Protection Program, acted “like a 13-year-old boy” and created an setting unsuitable for a federal office, Air Power Occasions reported his co-workers stated. His office antics launched a six-month investigation that substantiated stories of his misconduct and unprofessional conduct.
Cox didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark.
In his workplace, in keeping with the report launched to the Air Power Occasions, Cox saved a framed pair of silver, glittery scorching pants and an electrical inexperienced mankini that he as soon as donned within the office — over his garments — displaying off to coworkers in the course of the vacation “Unhealthy Santa” celebration and displaying it greater than as soon as.
“It was chartreuse inexperienced, and he introduced it out into the principle space,” Air Power Occasions reported one particular person conversant in the matter stated of Cox’s revealing bathing swimsuit, popularized by the 2006 movie “Borat.” “He [told us he] put it on in entrance of his spouse and bent over and stated, ‘Honey, how do you want this?'”
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Cox additionally saved a “gag reward” silver case containing handcuffs, intercourse toys, and vaseline within the workplace, as soon as presenting it to attendees throughout a gathering with subordinates. He additionally spoke about male genital piercings and oral intercourse in public, in keeping with the report.
“Witness testimony about Mr. Cox telling subordinates to go looking ‘Prince Albert’ on the web, or [to] seize somebody ‘by the balls and squeeze,’ give perception into the tradition [he] fostered and inspired,” Air Power Occasions reported the report stated.
The report detailed the 2020 investigation, which — regardless of his conduct reportedly making staff really feel “ostracized and uncomfortable” and prompting one feminine worker to give up — didn’t end in Cox’s suspension or termination. In actual fact, Cox turned the pinnacle of the House Power’s new House Warfighting Evaluation Middle in April 2021, persevering with to earn a six-figure wage.
“Mr. Cox stays the director of the House Warfighting Evaluation Middle,” Air Power Occasions reported Air Power spokesperson Ann Stefanek stated Friday. “The matter was addressed via established civilian personnel processes.”
Representatives for the Air Power and House Power didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s requests for remark.
Although Cox was not terminated, he did lose out on $27,000 in bonus pay and was now not eligible to obtain a federal award with a $40,000 money prize. A 30-day suspension was proposed, however he acquired a proper letter of reprimand as a substitute.
A tradition of sexual harassment and violence has lengthy been reported amongst army officers, even civilian staff like Cox. Although harassing jokes and unprofessional conduct are sometimes dismissed, one army assault skilled warned the tradition created by such jokes can escalate.
Within the office, Navy Occasions reported a Navy Sexual Assault Prevention and Response coordinator stated, an individual might use inappropriate jokes to gauge a response to see how a lot they will get away with.
“They might go from a joke right here to a contact there, and so they simply construct that over time, so when the large factor occurs, they had been constructing as much as that,” Navy Occasions reported the official stated. “That is why they’re capable of hold doing it, as a result of then they know, ‘I do know she’s not going to say something. I do know he is simply going to snort.'”
