A White House pastry chef sued her boss and President Clinton yesterday, alleging that the head pastry chef, Mr Roland Mesnier, retaliated after she spurned his persistent sexual advances.
The suit by the assistant pastry chef, Ms Franette McCullouch, accuses Mr Mesnier of urging her to feel him under his apron as proof of his arousal, of making harassing phone calls and of retaliating by, among other things, forcing her to do the menial task of peeling eight cases of kiwi fruit.
Mr Mesnier had earlier retaliated by refusing to let her take part in state dinners or the creation of Mr Clinton's birthday cake, the suit charges.
It charges that the chief White House usher, Mr Gary Walters, who had authority over the kitchen staff, failed to address Ms McCullouch's complaints, which began in 1991.
President Clinton - who survived an impeachment trial stemming from his affair with a former White House intern, Ms Monica Lewinsky - was named as a defendant for failing to implement a system to resolve complaints.
"I am a long-term, dedicated White House employee, who just wanted to do my job. I was shocked when White House officials told me that they would not interfere with my supervisor's `management style' to stop the sexual harassment, and encouraged me to leave if I did not like the situation," Ms McCullouch said in a news release.
Mr Mesnier, known for the elaborate desserts served at White House state dinners and fanciful Christmas-time gingerbread houses, did not return messages left with his White House office and later at his home.
Ms McCullouch's lawyer and the White House spokesman, Mr Joe Lockhart, both said it was not known whether Mr Mesnier had decided to seek a Justice Department lawyer or a private one.
The White House declined to comment but denied that it lacked a system for dealing with harassment. Officials said there had been no change in Mr Mesnier's employment status.