Millennial ex-mayor of ritzy Hamptons village tried to pimp out staffer for political gain, bombshell suit claims
The ex-millennial mayor of Southampton Village is allegedly a bullying creep who tried to pimp out his secretary for political gain, according to an bombshell new lawsuit.
Jesse Warren — the owner of a high-end boutique in the elite enclave who previously made headlines for being evicted from his home by a political rival — is now facing explosive claims from his former employee, Miranda Weber.
“Warren regularly had volatile outbursts, made inappropriate and gendered comments, and encroached on Ms. Weber’s personal life,” says her Suffolk County Supreme Court suit, filed late last month.
Warren — the town’s youngest mayor who was a baby-faced 36 when elected in 2019 — allegedly harassed, discriminated and retaliated against Weber, including asking her to work while sitting Shiva for her beloved grandmother, the filing states.
He also attempted to force Weber, who was in her mid-20s at the time, “into a quid pro quo relationship with Trustee to secure a political favor” — forcing her to make up excuses, including that she had COVID, to skirt his advances, the lawsuit claims.
Warren even “threatened to withhold a promotion and raise unless she capitulated to his various demands,” according to the court documents.
And when Weber resigned in 2022, after a year-and-a-half of enduring “insidious harassment, discrimination, and retaliation” from her boss, he refused to pay her at least $40,000 — and perhaps as much as $90,000 —- in overtime pay for working weeks frequently over 50 hours, the suit alleges.
Warren, 39 — who made news last year when an ex-mayor purchased the building he resided in and then moved to evict him — declined to comment.
The millennial executive is well-aware of the claims, since he leaked a confidential letter to the press as Weber attempted to resolve her claims privately last year, a move criticized by village officials as putting taxpayers at risk, according to local reports.
Warren was ousted by his former running mate in the village’s mayoral election that summer. Since losing his re-election bid, he has kept one foot in local politics by calling out the new village administration for pricey salary raises and patronage jobs, in addition to alleged possible violations of the federal clean water act.
Weber’s suit also names the Village of Southampton, a tiny governance which covers about six square miles on the East End of Long Island, and accuses trustees and other officials of not doing enough to prevent her mistreatment.
Current Mayor Bill Manger told The Post that the Southampton Village trustees were “concerned” about the suit, but declined to comment further.
The suit alleges that the former mayor fostered “discriminatory animus toward female employees,” with Weber claiming that unusually intimidating behavior toward her was not shared with the men of the office, including low pay and encroaching on her in her personal life.
Warren made extraordinary claims on her schedule and time, the suit states, including sending her work-related emails while she was mourning her dearly departed grandmother.
Another time he “went into a fit of rage” when Weber was called for jury duty, according to her lawsuit.
Weber also accuses Warren of pressuring her to have a relationship with a village trustee, Joseph McLoughlin, because his vote was apparently crucial to her getting a raise, the suit states.
But the then-mayor was actually after McLoughlin’s backing on a critical police chief contract vote, the lawsuit alleges.
Warren repeatedly “ordered” his secretary to meet with McLoughlin in 2021, “told Ms. Weber that Trustee McLoughlin really liked women, particularly young women,” and repeatedly mentioned to his young secretary that “McLoughlin liked her.”
The insidious nature of the social pressure became clear when “[Warren] told [Weber] to ask the Trustee about the Police Chief contract, stressing that it was important for ‘us,’” and asked her to “check in” with the trustee every few days or so.
“[Warren] forced Ms. Weber to meet with her harasser as an apparent condition of her receiving a raise, thus refusing to protect her from sexual harassment,” the lawsuit reads.
When Weber and McLoughlin — who is not a named defendant in the suit and did not respond to multiple requests for comment — interacted, “he commented that she worked too hard and suggested that they go out for a drink sometime.”
Uncomfortable with his advances, Weber invented excuses, like how COVID-19 was “awful,” and rushed home.
On another occasion when Weber was told to discuss her pending raise with McLoughlin, his response was that the pair should discuss things further over drinks, or at a steakhouse.
Weber “felt shocked and uncomfortable” at the trustee asking her out once again, and tried to end the conversation by stating she was a vegetarian.
“His response was to double down on the invitation,” the suit states, “suggesting that she order sushi.”
Once Weber’s raise — in the form of an $8,000 annual stipend — finally came to a vote a year later, McLoughlin incredulously claimed he had not heard about it before, publicly suggested “some impropriety with the stipend,” and voted against the increase, the suit states.
When nobody chastised McLoughlin for discussing personnel matters in the public session, Weber broke down in tears, her suit claims.
A month later, she resigned.
A Southampton resident called the claims against McLoughlin “laughable.”
“He’s a nice guy, he’s handicapped,” the source said, referring to the fact that McLoughlin — who was recently dinged for ethical violations related to an honorary police badge — has lived with cerebral palsy his whole life.
Other village insiders, who also asked to remain anonymous fearing retaliation in the small town, cast doubt on the other allegations in the suit, too.
“You can stop bashing the ex mayor,” one resident said. “Everyone needs to move on.”
Many of Weber’s claims were echoed in an earlier and rapidly dismissed lawsuit filed in 2023 by former village administrator, Charlene Kagel-Betts, who claimed she observed Warren’s bully tactics against Weber, who was left unnamed in the filing.
Kagel-Betts retired in February and accused Warren of “destructive” behavior in a damning letter that also accused him of mental instability, and of being “a pathological liar.”
Weber did not respond to a message left on her phone. Her attorney declined to comment on the suit or offer explanations as to why the complaint lacks a signed affidavit, exhibits or why defendants have yet to be served.
