Library of Congress to Pay $250K in Sex Suit

Officials with the Library of Congress have agreed to pay $250,000 to an employee who sued over alleged sexual harassment by the former top law librarian.

The U.S. District Court in Washington formally accepted the settlement Thursday, but the agreement stipulates it is not an admission of guilt.

Theresa Papademetriou accused the now-retired Chief of the Law Library Dr. Rubens Medina of “persistent harassment of female employees” in court documents. The lawsuit says Medina told one female subordinate he had “tasted breast milk,” commented on female staffers’ bodies and stroked Papademetriou’s cheek “in a sexual way.”

Papademetriou filed formal complaints, and alleged a library investigation found Medina had sexually inappropriate conduct toward at least seven women but library officials did nothing about it.