Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson, who made a fortune as a lawyer for women in harassment and sex-abuse cases, is ironically so rude to his own female staffers that they’re leaving his office in droves, sources told The Post.
At least 11 women have quit, or have been forced out or fired, during the past year, including high-profile prosecutor Coleen Balbert, whom Thompson recruited to head his Sex Crimes and Special Victims Bureau.
Balbert resigned following a “big blowup” during which Thompson yelled at her about a case, sources said. She took a pay cut to return to the Manhattan DA’s Office.
Former top aide Mina Malik, whom Thompson hired as his “special counsel,” also bailed on him to become executive director of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
“There is a problem there with how he treats women,” said one woman who is part of the exodus, charging that Thompson “has a problem with women who are self-assured.”
Another ex-employee described temper tantrums in which Thompson repeated to underlings, “I’m the Brooklyn DA.”
“He’d say, ‘I’m the Brooklyn DA,’ as if you didn’t know who you were talking to,” the source said.
“It was really unnecessary. It didn’t make any sense.”
Thompson — who got rich as a civil attorney representing clients like the Manhattan hotel maid who accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sex assault — goes much easier on men, a third former worker said.
“In general, a stumble was viewed as a major fail when it came to primarily high-ranking women,” the ex-worker said. “[Women] weren’t given as much leeway to make mistakes.”
Five of the departed staffers were spokeswomen for Thompson, whose thirst for fame is so great, he once installed a Black History Month display in which his photo was the same size as one of President Obama. They include ex-TV news anchor Sheila Stainback, who lasted five months as press secretary, and Lupe Todd, the most recent to resign.
Also gone are the DA’s executive assistant, Joanne Grell, and Cheryl Anthony, a community coordinator.
Thompson’s office didn’t respond to a request for details on turnover, but a spokesman called the allegations a “despicable smear that’s belied by the facts.”
“The truth is that DA Thompson has hired and promoted more women than men since taking office,” spokesman Oren Yaniv said. “He appointed many women to key leadership positions and treats all employees professionally and respectfully.”
