LEDOUX FAILED TO TAKE ACTION ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Rep. Tammie Wilson of North Pole today called for the resignation of House Rules Chair Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux for failing to meet the requirements of her position and placing legislative staff safety at risk.
Rep. Wilson said she refuses to go along with “the dog and pony show currently being put on by House leadership.”
[Read: LeDoux: Take training or your staff is fired]
Since March a sexual harassment complaint from a staffer accusing a sitting legislator of wrong doing sat neglected by Rep. LeDoux, whose role includes protecting legislative staff. Her inaction in that case — whether she was complicit in the cover-up or simply was kept out of the loop by her own House majority leaders — very likely allowed more individuals to be victimized.
Just recently Rep. LeDoux announced sexual harassment training would be required for all staff and legislators, in an apparent attempt to deflect attention from the House majority scandal. She went on to threaten Rep. Wilson and others legislators that if for any reason they chose not to participate in the training then she would fire their session staff.
“Its disingenuous to hear the Rules Chair say sexual harassment is a priority, when for months nothing was done about a case involving their own,” said Wilson in a press release. “I support sexual harassment training. What I cannot support is using training as an excuse for disregarding duties as Rules Chair.”
In December, Wilson sent a request to LeDoux requesting a third-party investigation to review all sexual harassment complaints, which would include the neglected case from March.
“All employees who have filed a complaint of sexual harassment must be assured that we have a process in place whereby sexual harassment allegations are taken seriously and investigated swiftly, thoroughly, justly, and, after the review they are not stigmatized or retaliated against,” Wilson said.
Wilson wants the past victim vindicated and the cover up investigated. She also raises questions about what consequences there will be for those who covered-up these allegations? What recourse can victims take against those whose inaction allowed them to be violated?
“Rep. LeDoux failed to do her job to protect staff and continues to allow the cover-up of the Democrat led leadership of the House,” said Wilson. “It’s time for her to resign.”
LeDoux is not the only woman in the House Democrat-led majority to not hold leadership accountable. Representatives Geran Tarr, Ivy Spohnholz, and Louise Stutz have remained silent on the apparent concealment of a complaint by a staff member of Rep. Scott Kawasaki’s, who lodged a sexual harassment complaint last March but was ignored by Speaker Bryce Edgmon, House Majority Leader Chris Tuck and, it would seem, Rules Chair LeDoux.
The woman eventually quit working for Kawasaki and finally went public with her complaint in December.
In addition to Wilson’s request for LeDoux’s resignation, Rep. Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, Mike Chenault, and House Minority Leader Charisse Millett have requested an independent investigation of the possible cover up and apparent collusion.
Well put Representative Tammie Wilson! Thank you!
Maybe it’s time for the Anchorage School District to ban all legislators from its premises just like it banned all military recruiters prior to the election of Bill Walker!
DRAIN THE SWAMP AND ALL THE SELF SERVING POLITICIANS! Bye Bye Walker 🙂
Maybe there is no difference>
Gosh, perhaps Representative LeDoux should be concerned about an investigation by federal law enforcement…?
If the last year under the current leadership has taught us anything, it’s that they have don’t have an ounce of leadership in their collective bones. If Democrats hope to get reelected next election they need to remove their failed leaders that will not remove themselves.
Thank you, Representative Tammie Wilson. We need you.
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