American Red Cross general counsel David Meltzer has resigned in the aftermath of a press story over his handling of a sexual misconduct case at the charity. He wrote to the charity's American CEO Gail McGovern stating that he deeply regretted his handling of the case. 'I want to ensure that the reputation of the institution remains strong and that nothing interferes with the organization’s ability to effectively carry out its important mission,' his letter says. Ms McGovern announced his resignation to the company in a statement: 'Over the course of the last year, we have seen news accounts of other organizations and institutions contending with serious instances of sexual harassment and the harmful repercussions that such misconduct can create. Last week, it was our organization’s turn to again struggle with these issues,' she said, adding 'I am committed to moving forward in a way that strengthens us as an organization.'

Positive reference

The story in ProPublica alleged that in 2012 the charity oversaw the departure of a senior executive in its international division after an internal investigation concluded he sexually harassed at least one subordinate. Mr Meltzer had praised him on his way out for leadership and dedication in an email announcing the departure. The executive was given a positive reference by a senior executive at the Red Cross and got a job at Save the Children. 

Deep regret

Mr Meltzer said in his letter: 'I deeply regret the damage this language may have caused the organization and its wonderful staff — particularly the employees involved in this matter,' he wrote. 'I also deeply regret that my words could have undermined confidence in the commitment of the Red Cross to properly address complaints of this nature. I would never want to be the cause of such a result. Rather, I feel strongly that every employee must feel comfortable and protected in reporting harassment and other misconduct to management.'