As first reported by The New York Times, an outside investigation ordered by the New York state Senate into whether Democratic state Sen. John Mannion created a toxic work environment in his Senate office has concluded that he did not violate Senate rules.

Spectrum News 1 first reported about those anonymous allegations from a group of former staffers back in June. Just days before Mannion won the June rimary for New York’s 22nd Congressional District against Sarah Klee Hood, those former staffers accused him in an anonymous letter of mistreatment, harassment and retaliation.

While the result is good news for Mannion politically, especially in his general election bid against U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams, it has raised questions about the Senate’s review process. Spectrum News 1 asked for a copy of the report Friday, but was told by a spokesperson that the Senate will not comment on personnel matters.

In a letter obtained by Spectrum News 1 and under the letterhead of the New York state Senate, those former staffers were informed that the investigation, conducted by Michael Murphy of the firm Barclay Damon, was closed.

The outcome? The investigation found no violation of the Senate’s policy.

Murphy declined to comment, as did Mannion. Mannion has denied the allegations in the past, including during a June primary debate hosted by Spectrum News 1.

“That is not who I am,” he said. “It is not what I stand for what was represented there, it’s not what my record reflects. Ive been a teacher almost 30 years, I was a union president and worked with hundreds of colleagues, I’ve been a senator for four years.”

Rep. Williams has never made the issue a central part of his campaign, but Taylor Weyeneth, spokesperson for Williams, told Spectrum News 1 the issue should be looked at further.

“This finding does not clear Mannion of the concern regarding a hostile work place raised by his former staffers, and does not change the fact that so many former staffers felt compelled to speak out about their experiences—at great personal and professional cost,” the statement read. “We stand with the victims and commend their bravery in coming forward. This issue deserves more scrutiny, and CNY voters will hold Mannion accountable, even if his allies in Albany won’t.”

The fact that the state Senate is coordinating an outside investigation into its own member, and media reports suggesting that individuals who Murphy was allegedly told had information pertinent to the investigation were never contacted nor did those making the complaint receive a copy of the final report, has advocates pushing for more accountability.

Erica Vladimir, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group, stressed that starts with the Senate’s process.

“As much as an entity and institution such as the state Senate is going to try to put forth an independent investigation, when the investigator is paid for by the state Senate, the Senate is going to be the client the investigator is working for,” she said.

Another question to a Senate spokesperson about the nature of the investigation, and why New Yorkers should trust such an arrangement if the result is not released publicly, went unanswered. 

Vladimir argued that it is important that the Senate conduct its own investigations into misconduct, but said that New York’s Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government should also conduct independent investigations in these cases, and even advise the Senate on how to best conduct their internal probes.

“COELIG, is a much more independent body that can review and Investigate these types of claims,” she said. “I think it would be best if the senate really looks at how it goes about that process.”

The former staffers have the opportunity to appeal, but Vladimir says that will be a challenge if they are not, in fact, able to obtain a full copy of the report.