The Marine Corps general who called sexual harassment allegations “fake news” at a town hall last week won’t face any reduction in rank or a dock in pay for his actions.The Marine Corps did reassign the official, Brig. Gen. Kurt Stein, from his role as the director of Marine and Family programs, the office that oversees the Marine Corps’ sexual assault prevention office, although the branch hasn’t specified what he’ll do now. Stein was suspended after the Corps received an anonymous complaint about his comments at the public event, which also included saying he lived vicariously through a Navy chaplain that was fired for having sex in a bar.A spokesman for Marine Corps headquarters, Capt. Christopher Harrison, told VICE News on Wednesday that Stein would not be punished with a demotion or a salary forfeiture.At the town hall on April 9, Stein referred to sexual harassment allegations against a Marine officer from two civilian women as “fake news” multiple times in front of hundreds of people, USA Today first reported. Those two women alleged a Marine officer had displayed, on multiple occasions, his erection through his clothing to them. Though the claims were initially not found to be substantial, the Marine Corps re-opened the investigation after USA Today reported details showing the case might have been mishandled.READ: U.S. Marine Corps general suspended after calling sexual harassment allegations “fake news”“If these allegations are true, Gen. Stein has no business serving in the Marine Corps,” Rep. Jackie Speier, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, told USA Today last week. Stein will still be serving, just in a different role.The Marine Corps, however, had issued a statement that it would investigate the complaint from the town hall and if found to be true, hold Stein accountable.“As a Corps we are committed to fully investigating and holding ourselves accountable when those allegations are shown to be true,” the statement read. “Leaders have a responsibility to ensure that their Marines and civilian employees believe they will be taken seriously if they come forward with allegations of misconduct of any kind.”In the past year, the Marine Corps has attempted to crack down on the issue of sexual harassment and assault in its ranks. Still, the U.S. military as whole has faced growing scrutiny over what critics call inconsistent standards and punishment for sexual assault and sexual harassment. The Tennessee National Guard, for example, demoted and fired a colonel along with two others for leading a reenlistment ceremony using a dinosaur puppet.Cover image: U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Kurt W. Stein, Director, Marine and Family Programs, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, presents a Silver Star to Tina Cline, wife of Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, during the Silver Star Award ceremony in his honor on Marine Corps League Detachment 1419, Mandan, North Dakota, Nov 1, 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Ricardo R. Davila/Released)
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