Rep. Geran Tarr seeking that ‘#MeToo’ moment in the sun

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She’s back, and looking for revenge.

THE BACKGROUND

Rep. Geran Tarr, a Democrat from District 19, had a verbal dispute last February with Rep. Mike Chenault, and it went something like this, according to those in the Capitol:

Tarr was yelling at Chenault and pointing her finger in his face in a jabbing motion. He told her, “If you ever get in my face again, I’ll bite back.” She accused him of threatening her, he denied it, and she marched over to Capitol Security armed officer, Rayme Vinson, who was standing about 10 feet away from the scene.

All of this took place in the vestibule between the hallway and the House Chambers.

Chenault, for his part, went to Speaker Bryce Edgmon and reported the dispute and the fact that Tarr had gone to Vinson to complain.

Each of them filed reports on the incident. The tape of the incident, which would not have had audio, would have been erased after 30 days.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH

During the fourth special session, just when the #MeToo women’s campaign against sexual abuse started getting traction, Tarr asked to see the Capitol Security report and the tape.

There was no tape, but she was allowed to see the report. When she read it, she asked to make revisions to it because she remembered more things about the incident.

Capitol Security told her no: She had already filed the report and she was not going to be allowed to revise it nine months later. She complained to House Speaker Edgmon, saying that she wasn’t being taken seriously by Capitol Security. Steve Daigle, head of Capitol Security, may have rolled his eyes at this point and pondered his retirement.

Tarr has a history of berating members in the House, but also has screamed at her own staff members as well as staff working for other legislators.

Must Read Alaska profiled some of her abusive behavior in February and wondered if it was time for an intervention.

[Read: Geran Tarr: Classic workplace bully?]

Now, it appears she is ginning up a #MeToo moment and dragging former House Speaker Chenault through the mud. But if it really happened like she now remembers it, why didn’t Speaker Bryce Edgmon take action at the time?

5 COMMENTS

  1. Rep Tarr started the aggression and yet she claims to be the victim simply because Rep. Chenault stood his ground. I doubt Ms Tarr would have raised a complaint if Chenault shared her political views. Crying wolf for political purposes undermines protection for true victims. For a big tough majority member, she has an incredibly thin skin when someone in the minority stands up to her tactics. Reminds me of a school yard bully who finally picks on the wrong kid – see Ralphie in “A Christmas Story.”

  2. All across the country women are finally coming forward, giving details of unwanted sexual attention and experiences that threatened them or were inappropriate. Now more than ever, it’s time to support the women. Rep. Tarr wasn’t the one who wrote a #MeToo article in the ADN. It was Chenault. Clearly his campaign for Governor must be weak if he has to resort to these tactics.

  3. The positioning of your ad was curious… did Scott Hawkins get Tarred?
    Tarr is following Alinsky: it’s okay for the left to be a bully, but when someone stands up to them some offense has been committed… enough of the left getting to define all the terms – vote them OUT of office. AKDem needs to truly become an endangered species (not just for the sympathy vote).

    • That ad is automatically placed after a couple of paragraphs, but sometimes it ends up oddly situated in a story, for sure. – Suzanne

  4. Every time someone makes a false or exaggerated claim of an abuse it is a horrible insult and slap in the face to genuine victims.Unacceptable. It is my belief that anyone who makes an accusation that is shown to be false should suffer the same penalties, at least, for the offense they alleged.

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