Alaska governor candidate faces sexual harassment lawsuit

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Republican gubernatorial candidate in Alaska faces accusations he sexually harassed a former assistant while he was a borough mayor. The Anchorage Daily News reports the lawsuit filed Friday accuses Charlie Pierce of “constant unwanted physical touching, sexual remarks, and sexual advances.” The case did not show up in online court records Saturday. The woman’s Anchorage-based attorney, Caitlin Shortell, said in a statement that elected officials must be held accountable if they abuse their power and position to sexually harass public servants. Pierce appeared at a candidate forum Saturday in Anchorage. He tells The Associated Press he had no comment on the litigation and planned to stay in the race.