Former aides to President Biden say they’re outraged that White House chief of staff Jeff Zients dismissed their allegations of bullying and verbal sexual harassment against first lady Jill Biden’s top aide Anthony Bernal — with Zients declaring them “unfounded attacks” without investigating.
Three sources exclusively told The Post that Bernal, who is considered one of the most powerful officials at the White House due to his relationship with the first lady, repeatedly speculated to them about the penis sizes of coworkers and inappropriately postulated the sexuality of peers.
Zients said in response to those complaints that he and the first couple “have full confidence in Anthony’s character” and that “[i]t is disappointing that he is the target of unfounded attacks from unnamed sources” — a statement that a prominent sexual harassment expert called “an incredible no-no.”
“What kind of message does that send to the staff who work for Jeff?” a former senior White House official asked Tuesday.
“If they didn’t know that they had zero recourse before the story, Jeff made it pretty clear that if you’re harassed by senior staff at the White House, his door is closed, and he doesn’t want to hear you,” the person added.
“That statement sent a huge smoke signal to the staff inside the building to just go to the press, not the chief of staff.”
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