GOP chair demands investigation into Legislature harassment claim

Oregon Republican Party Press Release,

Salem, Oregon– Chairman Herman Baertschiger called for a third-party audit of how the legislature handles harassment complaints made against elected officials, following a whistleblower lawsuit alleging lawmakers pushed him out in retaliation for shedding light on how the current system protects politicians.

Nate Monson, the former legislative equity officer, uncovered alarming trends in how the legislature addresses workplace misconduct. As the Capitol’s legislative equity officer, Monson was tasked with fielding complaints and guiding complainants through their options.

After only two months in the position, Monson resigned and was subjected to a witch hunt for trying to fix the broken system.

Chairman Baertschiger said, “Oregonians are growing tired of the double speak we see from Salem Democrats. They all claim to push for equality, but that bucks stops at their door if they become the ones subject to harassment complaints. We need a 3rd party to audit these processes and ensure complaints are heard and processed without interference from the political class.”

Named in the lawsuit are six legislators — Senate President Peter Courtney, former House Speaker Tina Kotek, and four lawmakers who have overseen the harassment complaint process — along with Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle, and the Legislature’s top attorney and human resources director. You can read the lawsuit at this link.