Legislature’s Clerks’ Offices Received 4 Sexual Harassment Complaints Since 2007

The Legislature’s clerks’ offices say they’ve received a total of four sexual harassment complaints over the last decade.

The Associated Press asked both the Assembly and Senate clerks for copies of all sexual harassment complaints against members and employees received since 2007. Both clerks denied the request last week citing victim and the accused’s privacy concerns.

But on Monday, both the Senate chief clerk and the Assembly chief clerk followed up with information regarding the number of complaints made over the last decade.

Senate Chief Clerk Jeff Renk noted in his response to the AP that his office had received two complaints during that time span, one in 2009 and one 2011.

The 2011 complaint was linked to a wrongful termination settlement the Legislature reached with a former Senate aide.

Renk said whoever filed one of the Senate complaints also filed a complaint alleging she was wrongfully terminated from her job as an aide to former Sen. Spencer Coggs. Renk said that complaint included “sexual harassment language.”

It’s unclear who allegedly harassed her. Coggs said in an email Monday that he has never harassed any of his employees.

The Legislature settled that complaint for $75,000.

Assembly Chief Clerk Patrick Fuller said Monday that his office received one complaint in 2014 and one in 2017. They didn’t offer any other details of the alleged incidents.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 5:40 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, 2017 to include information about the Assembly.