State Senator Wendy Rogers claimed a former employee’s complaint of workplace harassment is a “complete fabrication” that is “not a matter of Senate Ethics,” but on Thursday the five-member Senate Ethics Committee unanimously voted that an investigation is warranted by the committee’s lawyers.
Rogers (R-LD6) had urged the committee to dismiss numerous claims by a young male staffer who quit Jan. 14, the same day he returned from COVID-19 related medical leave. The staffer alleges the senator chastised him for not working from home during the leave, questioned if he had really been sick, yelled at and disparaged him, and engaged in other mistreatment.
However, Rogers argued in a Feb. 1 letter to Sen. Sine Kerr, chairperson of the Ethics Committee, that even if the allegations in the employee’s notarized, six-page letter were true and had created a hostile work environment, none of Rogers’ purported behavior was unethical under the Senate Rules.
“The complaint contains no law or Senate Ethics rule alleged to have been violated,” Rogers wrote to Kerr. “If the allegations do not constitute conduct alleged to be unethical under these Rules, the Chairman shall dismiss the complaint and notify the other Committee members and the Complainant of this action by mail or electronic mail.”
Rogers also contended she is familiar with proper treatment of employees and had worked “hand in hand” with the Senate Human Resource staff concerning the employee, who was started in the senator’s office shortly before going on leave.
“I have hired, counseled and managed hundreds of employees, both as a 20-year career Air Force commanding officer and subsequent 23-year Arizona business owner,” Rogers wrote. “I understand how to properly and professionally train, manage, and mentor employees.”
Despite Rogers’ letter, the Ethics Committee comprised of Kerr and Sens. Kirsten Engel, Vince Leach, Tyler Pace, and Victoria Steele voted to authorize the committee’s legal counsel to proceed with an investigation into the former staffer’s allegations. The committee’s three Republicans and two Democrats will meet again Feb. 11 at which time an update on the Roger’s investigation is expected.
As of press time Rogers had not released a statement about the committee’s vote, although she found time to use Facebook and Twitter to comment on red light cameras, her vote on a bill about the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the controversy surrounding GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
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