CIA terminates employee who accused the spy agency of retaliating over her sexual assault claim

The Central Intelligence Agency has terminated a female employee who reported being sexually assaulted by a colleague in a stairwell at the agency and who accused the CIA of trying to discourage her from filing a criminal complaint, according to her lawyer.

The unnamed employee’s case, which led to her colleague’s conviction in state court last year for misdemeanor assault and battery, has prompted at least two dozen others at the agency to come forward alleging sexual misconduct at the spy agency as well as an inquiry from the CIA Office of Inspector General.

The dismissal of the female employee comes as the CIA has faced scrutiny from Congress over its handling of sexual assault and misconduct complaints, with some critics accusing the agency of tolerating a culture that discourages victims from reporting abuses.

The employee’s lawyer, Kevin Carroll, called her termination “unlawful retaliation against a whistleblower to Congress, the inspector general and law enforcement about workplace sexual violence at the agency.”

He added: “The only reason to terminate her is to intimidate all the other women from coming forward (about alleged sexual misconduct).”

The CIA rejected the lawyer’s allegations.

“This statement is factually inaccurate. To be clear, CIA does not tolerate sexual assault, sexual harassment, or whistleblower retaliation,” agency spokesperson Tammy Thorp said in a statement.

Carroll, a partner with the law firm Hughes Hubbard and Reed, said his client had failed the CIA’s clandestine officer training program. In such cases, those employees are then permitted to apply to other positions at the agency. His client applied for another job but was not selected and was dismissed on Monday, according to Carroll.