New York Daily News Micah Kellner Loses 32BJ Nod for City Council After Sexual Harassment Allegations Surface by Celeste Katz

City Council hopeful Micah Kellner is losing the backing of property workers' union 32BJ SEIU over sexual harassment allegations against him -- marking the first time the labor group has ever rescinded an endorsement.

32BJ's executive board voted unanimously Wednesday to throw its support to Kellner's Democratic primary rival, lawyer Ben Kallos -- and encouraged Kellner, a state assemblyman, to drop his Council bid.

Our Ken Lovett reported last week that an ethics investigation has been opened into a 2009 harassment complaint against Kellner.

"The probe comes after it was revealed last month that Kellner’s former chief of staff Eliyanna Kaiser brought allegations to [Assembly Speaker Sheldon] Silver counsel Bill Collins in 2009 that the Manhattan Democrat had sexually inappropriate online conversations with a young woman on his staff," Lovett wrote.

Kyle Bragg, secretary-treasurer of 32BJ, said Wednesday that "given the allegations against Kellner, we cannot in good conscience continue to support his candidacy, and call on him to withdraw from the race.

"We are deeply disappointed, and do this with a measure of sadness, but it is the right thing to do,” Bragg said.

Kellner, whose campaign has been injured by revelations about the years-old accusations, has said he welcomes an investigation into the matter. 

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reversal by 32BJ, which represents 75,000 workers in the city.

Kellner has copped to -- and apologized for -- sending what he described as flirtatious messages to the young staffer, but said he stopped making the remarks immediately when he learned she considered them inappropriate.

Sources have told the News that Kellner turned on the worker after she rejected his advances, creating a "hostile environment" by singling her out for criticism.

After the Kellner issue became public, Silver said Collins never alerted him of the situation at the time.

Collins has left the Assembly staff, but remained on the payroll via accrued vacation time that is scheduled to end Thursday.

It's not the first endorsement the harassment allegations have cost Kellner: Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and two Democratic state senators -- Jose Serrano of the Bronx and Brad Hoylman of Manhattan -- also distanced themselves from the council hopeful's campaign in July, as did Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, who hopes to succeed Stringer.

Update: Said Kallos in a campaign statement, "I'm honored to receive the crucial support of 32BJ SEIU, some of the hardest workers in our city. I look forward to partnering with them to ensure excellent work conditions, pay and quality of life for all New Yorkers."