FHFA Director Mel Watt Tried To Woo Woman With Sexy Ankle Talk And Guacamole

FHFA Director Mel Watt is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of an employee. The agency regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

An FHFA staffer accused Watt of repeatedly making inappropriate sexual advances when she tried to discuss career and salary concerns.

The conversations included a 2016 meeting during which Watt steered the discussion to his feelings for the woman. POLITICO reports Watt asked about a tattoo on her ankle, saying, “If I kissed that one would it lead to more?”

The employee filed an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint.

The employee’s lawyer, Diane Seltzer Torre, told Politico:

There is an investigation in progress. Our preference is to let that investigation proceed.

An investigator working for the U.S. Postal Service, which is handling the case, declined to comment. The FHFA inspector general’s office also declined to comment.

FHFA Director Mel Watt was appointed by President Obama in 2014 to lead the independent agency. Watt is in the final months of his five-year term. The FHFA oversees the $5.4 trillion mortgage portfolio of Fannie and Freddie.

FHFA Director Mel Watt: Dejected Ladies Man

Watt arranged for the two to meet outside the office in 2016 because of perceptions. The FHFA Director allegedly began hitting on the woman on the drive from the FHFA to the Rosa Mexicano restaurant:

Well, you probably want to know what I wanted to talk to you about. I mentioned to you there is an attraction here that I think needs to be explored. In my experience, there are four types of attraction: emotional, spiritual, sexual or of friendship. So, the exercise here is to find out which one exists here.

The woman then tried to shut down the conversation.

If I gave you that impression in any way, that was not intentional. My impression was that you wanted to discuss the work-related items. But, if that’s not the case, then I think I should take you back to FHFA. Because I don’t want any confusion here.

FHFA Director Mel Watt Thinks 50 No’s And A Yes Means Yes!

The woman’s rejection didn’t deter Watt. That’s when he allegedly tried again and attempted an old-school James Bond move.

He asked the employee about a tattoo on her ankle and suggested kissing it. She then shot him down again:

Is that what we’re here to talk about? Because I already told you I don’t want to have conversations like that with you.

In a third conversation dated Nov. 11, 2016, Watt asked the woman why she had, “rejected my advances.”

When she told him she was in a relationship, Watt said:

I love my wife too. Having an attraction for someone else doesn’t have to mean you don’t love them.

The woman was later turned down for a promotion in the agency. As a result, she filed an Equal Employment Opportunity complaint. The case is now being investigated by the FHFA-OIG and US Post Office Inspector.