Oregon
Oregon lawmakers hear bullying charge against gov candidate
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A former legislator instructed an Oregon Home committee Wednesday that he was bullied by then-Home Speaker Tina Kotek, the Democratic candidate for governor, to the purpose that he suffers from PTSD.
The listening to, held remotely through video, was emotional, with one other former legislator testifying that the complainant, former Rep. Diego Hernandez, tried to kill himself lately.
“He referred to as me,” former Rep. Brian Clem stated haltingly as he tried to compose himself. “I went to his residence. That is a few month in the past. He had a damaged belt. Fortunately, the belt broke or he wouldn’t be right here.”
The drama comes as Kotek, a Portland progressive who was the longest-serving speaker of the Home in Oregon historical past, is in a good race for governor towards Republican nominee Christine Drazan. The race is tighter this yr on this blue state as a result of unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson, a former veteran Democratic lawmaker, can also be on the poll.
Hernandez, as soon as thought-about a younger, rising political star, filed a criticism towards Kotek in early 2021, alleging that she created a hostile work surroundings for him throughout the 2019 legislative session. However an impartial investigation carried out by a non-public lawyer employed by the Legislature exonerated Kotek.
“The proof is inadequate to substantiate Hernandez’s criticism,” investigator Melissa Healy, a lawyer with a Portland agency, wrote in her draft report.
In an Oct. 3 message to the committee, Kotek stated the report “is lengthy overdue, however I’m glad by the clear conclusion that these have been baseless accusations.”
Hernandez instructed the committee that Kotek had angrily threatened his invoice to offer drivers licenses to Oregonians who arrived within the U.S. illegally except he supported one other invoice to chop retirement advantages for the state’s public staff — a measure that finally handed by the narrowest margin.
“I believe out of all of the tousled issues the speaker stated and did, the one which crossed the road is when she threatened to damage my political profession, that she’s going to ensure I lose my subsequent election. She stated this in rage,” Hernandez stated. He stated he suffers from post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
“I’m nonetheless recovering from PTSD and different traumas from my legislative expertise with Tina,” Hernandez stated. “To say her bullying and racism destroyed my soul is an understatement.”
He accused Healy, by way of her report, of making an attempt to normalize habits wherein legislative leaders could be allowed to make use of bullying, threats, intimidation, yelling and outbursts to attain their targets.
In line with Statehouse guidelines, the investigation of Hernandez’s criticism was imagined to have been accomplished inside 84 days, but it surely took greater than a yr.
Clem, who like Hernandez is a Democrat, stated he had pleaded with Healy to finish her investigation months in the past as a result of he didn’t need it to have an effect on the elections.
Kotek, for her half, accused Hernandez of deflecting.
“Rep. Hernandez made this unfounded criticism a number of days after an impartial investigator concluded that he created a hostile work surroundings for ladies on the Oregon State Capitol,” Kotek wrote to the committee.
After the listening to Wednesday, her marketing campaign declined to remark additional to reporters.
Hernandez, who represented working-class neighborhoods of east Portland, introduced in February 2021 that he was resigning, days earlier than the Home was scheduled to vote on whether or not to expel him. A panel of lawmakers had decided he created a hostile work surroundings for 3 ladies.
In her letter, Kotek stated Hernandez’s criticism towards her “was a blatant try and distract folks from his personal dangerous habits.”
She requested the committee to affirm the impartial investigator’s findings.
The Home Committee on Conduct should schedule one other assembly to determine whether or not to simply accept Healy’s report, or contemplate taking motion towards Kotek.
Clem stated he was nervous about testifying as a result of he feared retribution from Kotek. He testified from South Korea, the place he stated he was engaged on a challenge that would create hundreds of jobs in Oregon, apparently referring to plans for constructing a transport container terminal on the port of Coos Bay, the place Clem was raised.
“That challenge must be permitted by the subsequent governor,” Clem stated. “I don’t need my participation (within the investigation of Kotek) to hurt that challenge.”