New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s Office Culture Including ‘Penis Balloon’ and Obscene Cartoons: Lawsuit

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office Allegedly has a sleazy and toxic workplace culture, such as a “balloon penis” at an office party and lewd cartoons shared by employees, which is recent Sexual harassment appeared The suit showed.

DiNapoli’s office quietly paid $350,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by former employee Evan Harris, a 16-year veteran who worked at the office on Maiden Lane and claimed supervisors and employees subjected him to sexual comments and made inappropriate remarks about his girlfriend.

The lawsuit, which was initially filed in Manhattan federal court in 2020, included a photo of a penis-shaped balloon that appeared at a retirement party in a colleague’s office.

Harris also alleged that several other lewd and bizarre transgressions occurred during his time in DiNapoli’s office, including a colleague who joked that Harris would “masturbate” in the new lactate room.

A supervisor also allegedly repeatedly sent him lewd text messages, including a cartoon depicting someone performing oral sex on a microphone.

He was also allegedly sent a photo of a man performing a prostate exam with the doctor behind him, which included a patient caption saying “I asked the doctor where I could put my pants. ‘There, next to my pants.’ Wasn’t the answer I was expecting.”

Another sexual caricature allegedly sent by him depicts a woman saying: “My gynecologist says I can’t have sex for two weeks.” The man replies: What did your dentist say? The lawsuit claimed that.

An additional cartoon of a man with an exposed penis read: “A clown assaulted me and stopped laughing,” according to the allegations.

Records show that more than $900,000 was spent on private law firms to defend DiNapoli’s office in the case — including $729,760.11 to Bond, Schoeneck & King and $175,469.51 to O’Connell & Aronowitz.

Judge Loretta Preska denied the comptroller’s office’s request to dismiss the case in 2023, leading to the subsequent settlement.

Harris, who worked as an assistant audit director in the Office of Unclaimed Funds, alleged that when he told his supervisors the behavior was inappropriate, he faced retaliation, including being denied work projects, according to the lawsuit.

Two of his supervisors — Lawrence Schantz, director of the Unclaimed Funds Office, and Robert Tambini, audit director of the Unclaimed Funds office — are listed as defendants along with the comptroller’s office.

When Harris raised concerns to a higher-up, his request to change supervisors was denied, the lawsuit alleged.

Harris’ boss allegedly presented him with two options: resign or be fired for cause. His supervisor then warned him that if he was fired for cause, he would not be able to work for the government again, the suit alleged.

When Harris threatened to speak to an attorney, he was fired for cause, according to the lawsuit.

Each party agreed to the settlement “without any admission of fault or liability” on April 17, 2024, according to the court filing.

DiNapoli’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.

DiNapoli, comptroller since 2007, will run for re-election this fall and faces his first spirited Democratic primary since he was first elected.

His main opponents Can include adam bunkedico, Raj Goel and Drew Warshaw.

Joseph Hernandez is the Republican nominee for comptroller.