The ex-Congressman fired by Morgan Stanley for inappropriate conduct is threatening to sue

Mohammed Hadi,Reuters

Dec 8, 2017, 02:16 IST

The ex-Congressman fired by Morgan Stanley for inappropriate conduct is threatening to sue

Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters

Harold Ford, Jr. a former U.S. Democratic congressman was fired by Morgan Stanley for inappropriate conduct.
Ford issued a statement after the firing in which he threatened to sue the bank and his accuser.
The Huffington Post earlier cited an unnamed woman who claimed Ford harassed her on a night several years ago.

Harold Ford, Jr. a former U.S. Democratic lawmaker turned investment banker, threatened to sue Morgan Stanley after he was fired from the bank for inappropriate conduct.

A spokeswoman told Reuters on Thursday that Ford had been fired, saying that he was let go for "conduct inconsistent with our values and in violation of our policies."

The news of Ford's departure was first reported by the Huffington Post, which cited interviews with an unnamed woman who claimed Ford harassed her on a night several years ago.

Ford issued a statement to multiple media outlets that denies any allegations and says threatens legal action against the bank as well as the person who made the allegations against him, who he describes as a news reporter. Here's the statement.

"This simply did not happen. I have never forcibly grabbed any woman or man in my life. Having drinks and dinner for work is part of my job, and all of my outreach to the news reporter making these false allegations was professional and at the direction of my firm for business purposes. I support and have tremendous respect for the brave women now speaking out in this important national dialogue. False claims like this undermine the real silence breakers. I will now be bringing legal action against the reporter who has made these false claims about me as well as Morgan Stanley for improper termination."

Ford, a frequent guest on news and finance TV shows, served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee's 9th district before joining Morgan Stanley in 2011.

The firing comes as companies, lawmakers, and politicians grapple with a string of allegations against prominent men. Democratic Senator Al Franken resigned on Thursday after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him.