Cleveland City Councilmember Joe Jones engaged in a pattern of behavior that likely violated council’s sexual and non-sexual harassment policies, according to a summary of an investigation into allegations from multiple women dating back three years.
The investigation found credible all five witnesses' accounts of harassment, threats, intimidation, bullying, unwanted physical touching and racial harassment.
Jones refused to be interviewed for the investigation but offered a blanket denial of the allegations. He did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
Public records show that multiple women who worked for the city of Cleveland and affiliate organizations lodged complaints against Jones alleging instances of verbal abuse, outbursts of rage, inappropriate touching and comments about their physical appearances.
Jones stepped down from his committee appointments Monday two weeks after investigators suggested he be removed indefinitely from all committees.
That means Jones can attend committee meetings but can no longer vote except in full council body meetings.
Jones, who was elected to represent Ward 1 in 2017, previously resigned from his council seat in 2005 after pleading guilty to mail fraud charges. His conviction made him ineligible to hold public office until it was expunged in 2017.
Destination Cleveland artist details Jones’ ‘inappropriate’ comments, kicks off City Council investigation
Destination Cleveland’s Chief Experience Officer Hannah Belsito first detailed an “inappropriate” exchange between Jones and an artist in an email to City Council President Blaine Griffin on July 19, 2024.
The artist was hired to paint a mural in Jones’ ward. Jones met with the artist, two representatives from the City Planning Commission and two representatives from Destination Cleveland about two months earlier.
During that meeting, the artist said Jones said the mural “looked weird.” She said once he realized she was the artist, he began “changing his demeanor” and suggested her face should be on the mural. She did not reply but said others giggled at what they assumed was a joke.
“No, really,” he allegedly responded.
She said he told her she was beautiful and referenced specific facial features and attributes his neighborhood “would want to see.”
“At this point, I dissociated to get through the meeting as I was extremely uncomfortable and wanted to get the mural deliverables and be on our way,” the artist said in Belsito’s written account to Griffin.
The artist said the “inappropriate discussion” did not end there, and Jones continued to praise her and invited her back to his office, where he said he’d like to display her artwork, which she said he had never seen.
The artist said she attempted to get the conversation back on track, but towards the end Jones asked her what she was doing that weekend and gave her his phone number so the pair could “spend the weekend figuring [the mural] out.”
She said he never apologized, and she was instructed never to be alone with Jones or give him her personal information.
Griffin responded to Belsito’s email, calling the behavior “completely unacceptable.” He said he would speak to Jones and hear his “interpretation of the meeting” but apologized for his behavior.
The incident prompted an investigation last summer by outside law firm McDonald Hopkins to examine years of complaints about Jones’ behavior.
The city paid more than $8,000 to McDonald Hopkins.
City Council did not release the report, citing attorney-client privilege, but a spokesperson released the findings and summary of complaints to Ideastream.
City employee says Jones touched her chest and breast
The Destination Cleveland incident was not the first complaint lodged by women against Jones for inappropriate behavior.
In an email sent to City Council leadership, a woman, whose name was redacted from public records, describes an incident on Feb. 6, 2024, in which she said Jones inappropriately touched her.
The woman said she was using a tablet to show Jones information he had requested when he approached her and sat “closely” in the chair beside her.
“After I explained the document to him, he patted me on the left shoulder with both hands: he put his right hand on the back of my shoulder and put his left hand on the front, but his left hand also touched my chest (above my armpit) and the top of my left breast,” she wrote. “I kind of turned away from him and he got up and went back to the table.”
She said she was “uncomfortable” sharing the story, but felt she needed to document it in writing.
“There’s no reason for his hand to have been close enough to me for that to have happened, even if it was an accident,” she wrote. She called the physical contact “inappropriate” and said she did not want it to happen.
“My most sincere apologies that you have been put in this situation,” Griffin responded. “I do not condone any staff member feeling uncomfortable of having your personal space violated.”
He said he would speak with the leadership team and everyone involved on how to “move forward.”
City employee describes Jones as ‘sexist bully’ after 2022 dispute
In November 2022, staff members documented an incident in which Jones shouted at a female employee over a spending request.
According to public records, Jones allegedly approached a policy and research cubicle “demanding” the employee, whose name was redacted from public records, allocate money for a specific use. When the employee “calmly” explained why they could not complete his request at that time, he “quickly became angry and extremely rude.”
Throughout the discussion, Jones and the employee attempted to contact other people to get more information, including a woman he called “beautiful” on the phone. One of the complaints alleges he pressured the woman on the phone.
Jones then allegedly became “VERY VERY angry,” slammed the desk and “continually harassed” the employee. They both went into a separate room, where other staff members documented hearing “inappropriate and intimating” screaming, cursing and table slamming.
The employee described Jones’ tone and language as “disrespectful.” She said after he began cursing and banging the table, she removed herself from the room and began to tear up.
“As I reflect on the incident, I do not want members to feel confrontation and bullying will get me to compromise ethics,” she wrote in a notice of the incident. “I am not seeking an apology from Councilmember Jones, because I don’t believe it would be an honest gesture. I would just like the incident to be noted and that there be a discussion with the Councilmember to identify his true concerns and address his extremely aggressive behavior.”
A witness described the incident: “Overall: Extremely intimidating, threatening, and harassing behavior was exhibited by Joe Jones which was inappropriate, unprofessional, and completely unwarranted. He should simply not be able to talk to anyone in this way ESPECIALLY a female. He acted and behaved like a sexist bully and I can only hope I never have to have any interactions with him.”
In an email exchange, Council President Griffin apologized and said he would work with all council members and staff on “professionalism and decorum.”
Other accusations of aggressive behavior and misconduct
Another city employee raised a red flag about potential misconduct by Jones in March 2024.
In an email to Clerk of Council Patricia Britt, an employee, whose name was redacted, said they had been a witness to Jones’ behavior toward another employee.
“The way how he talks to her and raises his voice and repeatedly comes to her with the same questions (and refuses to hear the answer) create a very uncomfortable work environment, not just for [redacted] but for me and the other staff in our hall,” the person wrote.
The employee goes on to write that Jones and his executive assistant had been using his business email and her personal email to conduct city business.
City council members are required to use their city-issued email for correspondence.
Investigation lays out future steps as council contemplates workplace policy changes
The investigation recommended Jones be enrolled in a behavioral training program with one-on-one coaching on workplace behavior and leadership accountability.
Investigators recommended that if Jones did not complete the training or engaged in further inappropriate and unprofessional behavior, he could be censured.
The investigation also recommended workplace policy changes that city attorneys are reviewing, a city council spokesperson said.
Censuring is a public reprimand by other council members. The only way a public official can be removed from elected office is at the ballot box or if they are convicted of a federal felony.
All council seats are up for election in November.
