Female Employee Accuses Pat McDonald of Misbehaviour

By Jessica Whitehouse,
Editor at online-gambling.com

Jessica Whitehouse Editor at online-gambling.com

Jessica Whitehouse is a content expert and editor from Santa Monica, California. At online-gambling.com, she focuses on roulette, blackjack reviews, lottery, and casino payments. Whitehouse is also our leading go-to expert in online gambling in South Africa. In addition, she provides the photo materials for most articles on the site.

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Last updated: May 15, 2023

At least one female employee has accused former Ohio Lottery Director Pat McDonald of harassment and misbehaviour, leading to his departure and a state probe. Following the charges, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine requested an investigation into the allegations made by the female lottery worker against McDonald by the Cleveland law firm Zashin & Rich. The DeWine administration recently received the law firm’s conclusions, which were then released in a news release.

According to the article, the female employee complained to Elizabeth Alex, the deputy director of the lottery’s office of human resources, in February, claiming that McDonald had hugged and caressed another female uncomfortably and unwelcomely. Additionally, the lady said that McDonald made remarks about their attractiveness verbally. The same worker returned to HR in April to give further information about why she had felt uneasy with McDonald. As a result, DeWine’s chief of staff Stephanie McCloud met with McDonald on April 11 to examine the claims. McDonald apologized to the female worker who had first complained to Alex and refuted the charges.

The next day after his meeting with McCloud, McDonald submitted his resignation, claiming medical issues. Since February 2019, McDonald has served as the director of the Ohio Lottery Commission, where she managed a $5 billion annual lottery business. The Ohio Lottery preserved more than $1.4 billion of the $5.3 billion in tickets it sold during its most recent fiscal year, with the majority going toward funding public education. The seven racinos in Ohio as well as retail sports betting in bars and other small enterprises, are all under the control of the Ohio Lottery. The Ohio Casino Control Commission is a distinct state organization that oversees commercial casinos and online sportsbooks in Ohio.

State Probe Finds No Criminal Activity

The Zashin & Rich investigation did not uncover any conclusive proof that McDonald engaged in criminal activity while serving as head of the Ohio Lottery. However, the investigation claims that McDonald displayed an inappropriate fondness in text conversations with one of the ladies. In spite of this, the legal firm’s investigators said that any punishment the state would have imposed on McDonald is negated by his departure.

DeWine nominated Michelle Gillcrist to serve as the Ohio Lottery’s interim director after McDonald tendered his resignation. Ohio Lottery tickets sold in 2021 exceeded $5.5 billion, placing it second only to Florida, New York, California, Texas, Georgia, and Massachusetts in terms of ticket sales.

The McDonald charges are not the first to affect the Ohio Lottery. Kathleen Burke, the previous director of the lottery, was forced to retire in 2016 when it was found that she had handed herself $20,000 in unapproved salary hikes. Burke’s actions were revealed as a result of information provided by a whistle-blower. Burke had finally been found guilty of improper acts, but the Ohio Inspector General’s office decided not to prosecute her due to a lack of criminal intent.

Importance of Maintaining a Safe Work Environment Highlighted

The most recent charges against McDonald emphasize how crucial it is to keep a respected and safe working environment, especially for women who are more prone to encounter harassment and discrimination at work. To guarantee that such behaviour is not condoned, employers must treat all claims of harassment and misbehaviour seriously and conduct comprehensive investigations.

Employees should also feel empowered to speak up and report misbehaviour or harassment without worrying about facing the consequences. In order to safeguard themselves and their co-workers against such behaviour, it is crucial that all employees are informed of their rights and feel confident speaking out when required.