Chavis Denies Adultery Claims

WASHINGTON Responding to a syndicated column by Carl Rowan thatsaid NAACP executive director Benjamin Chavis reached an out-of-courtsettlement with a former employee after she threatened to revealtheir "adulterous relationship," NAACP spokeswoman Terhea Washingtonsaid Chavis "categorically denies sexual harassment as an issue."

Rowan cited a document faxed in October, 1993, to Mary E.Stansel from Rose M. Sanders, who was Stansel's attorney at the time.

The document provided Stansel with language to use in a possiblecomplaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,maintaining "employment discrimination, sexual harassment andwrongful discharge," he wrote.

Washington said Rowan's statements in his column are strictlyhis opinion and based on "documents that we cannot authenticate."

"Dr. Chavis categorically denies sexual harassment as an issue.He has known Mary Stansel in a professional manner," Washington said."Sexual harassment is not the current issue. The issue is strictly aquestion of breach of contract."

The November, 1993, settlement, worth up to $332,000, avertedan EEOC complaint by Stansel. She has since filed a lawsuit accusingChavis and the NAACP of reneging on a promise in that settlement tofind her another job.

Chavis is under pressure to resign for using $64,000 in NAACPmoney in the settlement without consent of the 64-member board ofdirectors. His critics say the settlement is proof that Chavispoorly handles funds of the NAACP, which is $2.7 million in debt.

The board of directors will meet Aug. 20 in Baltimore to discussthe matter.

Chavis has said he will not resign, and has released a July 7letter to Stansel from Sanders, an attorney in Selma, Ala., that saidsexual harassment was never an issue in negotiating the settlementand instructed Stansel to remove it from her lawsuit. Stanseldeclined to do so. Stansel could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Rowan's column Tuesday said the documents he obtained "make itclear that Chavis lied" about the sexual harassment claim when herevealed Sanders' letter, because he did not mention that Sanders hadgiven Stansel language for her EEOC complaint.

That language said: "Prior to my being hired by the NAACP, Dr.Chavis asked me to use my contacts, expertise and services to helphim secure the directorship of the NAACP. . . . Dr. Chavisintentionally wooed and pursued me to achieve my consent andinvolvement in his campaign, and my termination came only after theadulterous relationship ended."

Rowan said he based his column on a review of more than 40documents related to the Stansel case.