By Beatriz Pascual Macías

Washington DC, Feb 29 (EFE).- Three women who have accused Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo of alleged sexual harassment are mulling filing a civil defamation lawsuit against him in United States courts, attorney Debra S. Katz told EFE in an interview.

The alleged victims are demanding the singer to be expelled from the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) which released a report this week confirming some 20 women had accused the singer of sexual harassment.

The lawyer, known for her role in the #MeToo movement through her representation of the victims of prominent figures such as disgraced former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, received EFE at the law firm that bears her name (Katz, Marshall & Banks) in downtown Washington.

QUESTION: You are legally advising three women who were allegedly abused by Domingo: former mezzo-soprano Patricia Wulf, soprano Angela Turner Wilson and another victim, who has preferred to remain anonymous fearing a backlash. What incidents have they alleged?

ANSWER: Placido Domingo would focus his unwelcome attention on women, often when they were working. Initially, he would flatter them and tell them what great stars they were and could be. And then he started acting in overly familiar ways.

In Patricia Wulf's case, he kept kissing her, first on the cheek and then closer and closer to her mouth, and then while she was actually performing in operas, he would dog her, he would follow her and try to touch her, try to kiss her. And then he started sexually propositioning her and asking her if she had to go home at night. And could she go home with him, a really crude sexual proposition, so much so that it was everyone saw it. And she had people who tried to stay with her, to escort her to her car and to protect her from his unwelcome advances. So that was the pattern with her case.

With Angela's case, he also just made unwelcome advances and would show up at her dressing room and bang on the door and demand to be led in while she was naked, while she was getting dressed, while she was actually performing. And he also told her how fabulous she was and offered her positions told her that she had a great future with the LA Opera and when she rejected his advances and made it clear that she had no interest in him romantically or sexually, he barged into her dressing room and stuck his hand down her dress and grabbed her in a very painful way, groped her in a very painful way. And then after that, all of her job opportunities evaporated. He made it impossible for her to get positions at the LA Opera, which he had promised her.

Q: This week, the AGMA released the findings of an investigation on Domingo and confirmed the allegations against him. But so far, no lawsuit has been filed against Domingo. Are you considering taking any form of legal action?

A: We are considering options to hold him accountable and most, particularly now, our focus is to have him removed from the union, which he should be in light of these findings.

Q: But, you mention that you are considering different options, what kind of legal actions are on the table?

A: We're still considering them at this point.

Q: Civil or criminal lawsuits?

A: Not criminal, civil actions.

Q: Are you considering seeking damages in the civil lawsuit?

A: You know, at this point, it is premature for me to answer that. We don't know we're considering options, but right now, our focus is on the union piece.

Q: Under what crime would you take legal action against Domingo?

A: In the US to bring a claim for sexual harassment, under federal law, you would in most states have to go to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 270 days to bring a claim. Under state law, maybe a little bit longer. But these are decades-old allegations. So that makes it difficult to go to court.

Q: So what kind of lawsuits are you going to file against Domingo?

A: Let me explain sexual harassment. The statute of limitations has expired, but to the extent that he is disparaging or defaming people, by essentially branding them liars, there would still be a statute of limitations that would allow for claims to be brought.

Q: Will he be sued for defamation?

A: For the defamation of the false statements he's making that are impugning the integrity and honesty of these women who have courageously come forward.

Q: You mentioned that your priority right now is Domingo's removal from the AGMA. Why is this important?

A: Well, the consequence would be he is going to be held accountable by other members of the Union for the behaviour that he engaged in and his choice will either be to participate in the hearing and defend his action. He could agree to withdraw from the union or the end of it, we would hope that any decision-maker would expel him from the union if he refuses to step down. But there needs to be serious consequences here.

Q: The AGMA has not made the report with the findings of its investigation public. Why do you think that is?

A: Well, it appears that AGMA had entered into settlement negotiation with Placido Domingo's lawyers. And as part of the settlement, they agreed not to release the report in exchange for his payment of $500,000 and his issuance of an apology.

Q: After the guild published its report, Domingo said he accepted "full responsibility" for his actions, but then in another statement, he denied having behaved "aggressively" with a woman. What do you think of this?

A: A real apology, not a lawyer and negotiated, carefully crafted one that doesn't really take responsibility for his action. And the fact that he issued one apology and then withdrew it is shocking and has been very upsetting to my clients and others who have been impacted by his behaviour.

Q: How has it made them feel?

A: I don't know if this is a cultural analogy that you know, but in Snoopy and Charlie Brown, the Peanuts cartoon, Lucy would always ask Charlie Brown or she would hold the football and as he came by to kick it, she pulled the football away and he'd fall. And here, these women woke up to an apology from Placido Domingo. And then several days later, got it all taken away. So there was this sense of he was mistreating them again. And there's a retraumatization that happens when you feel that somebody understands and takes responsibility after spending months denying the behaviour, trying to excuse the behaviour. And then, lo and behold, he says, I've had a reflection, I've thought about it, I'm apologizing, and then several days later, he pulls away the football again, and people feel very betrayed by it.

Q: Domingo was regarded as a legend in the world of opera. Why do you think it is important to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against him?

A: Because no person should be above the law. And as long as powerful individuals believe that they have a right to harass and grope for sex on women, women will never be treated fairly in the workplace and sexual harassment is an abuse of power. It's not about sex. It's about abuse of power. It's a form of workplace discrimination. It's illegal, and someone who engages in that behaviour must be held accountable. EFE

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