Mark Bennett, a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, was recently suspended for transgressing the U.S. Department of Justice’s sexual harassment policy. Several allegations placed Bennett in the midst of controversy, primarily focusing on his actions against an intern. This intern, known as J.S. in court documents, was subjected to inappropriate behavior from Bennett who held a considerable amount of influence over her.
Bennett’s misdeeds, as documented by Law.com, included asking J.S. for explicit images on Snapchat, making inappropriate comments, and engaging in unsolicited physical contact. These actions persisted even after J.S. left the office in 2017, with Bennett attempting to maintain contact through unwelcome Facebook messages and texts in connection to work-related discussions.
These allegations led to an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General for the DOJ, resulting in a recommendation of Bennett’s termination from his role. Shortly after, Bennett chose to resign.
A partial concurrence, partial dissenting opinion penned by Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy and endorsed by Justice Joseph T. Deters argued for a harsher penalty, criticizing Bennett’s actions for undermining public faith in the government and diminishing both the legal profession and his government office. Such actions, they argued, warrant not a stayed suspension, but an actual one to truly guard the public.