Former N.Y. assembyman sued for over $2.6B 6 separate sexual harrasment suits

BUFFALO, N.Y., Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Former New York State Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak is being sued by six different former employees who claim Gabryszak repeatedly sexually harassed them while they working for the state

In addition to Gabryszak, each of the six suits also names Gabryszak's chief of staff, Adam Locher, for similar behavior, and Assembly Majority Leader Sheldon Silver, the Assembly itself and New York state for enabling a culture of sexual harassment.

According to the lawsuit: "Each and every defendant conspired with each other defendant and acted in concert with one another in an express and/or implied agreement to carry out a common scheme to create a hostile and offensive workplace."

Gabryszak resigned in January when the allegations first became public, admitting some degree of misconduct but claiming his actions did not cross the threshold between "banter" and sexual harassment.

"There was mutual banter and exchanges that took place that should not have taken place because it is inappropriate in the workplace even if it does not constitute sexual harassment," Gabryszak said at the time according to the Times Union.

The women are seeking over $2.6 billion in combined damages for 80 separate causes of actions described in the six lawsuits, and a seventh woman is expected to file her own suit shortly.

"That's a wow factor," legal analyst John Elmore told Time Warner's Buffalo-area news affiliate.

"The lawsuit has value, but that's a little outrageous. When you have six women claiming a similar back pattern of bad, inappropriate behavior, it sort of aggregates that maybe this could be the truth."

Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak officially resigning effective as of midnight pic.twitter.com/cjiw8uWHsZ

— Joseph Spector (@GannettAlbany) January 15, 2014