Oregon Speaker of the House Tina Kotek said she believes the women and has from the beginning. The investigation report documents the experiences of women who have felt unsafe and feared retaliation from Representative Hernandez. This is serious and disturbing. I believed the women when they came forward last year and I believe them now, Kotek said. I m focused on doing everything I can to ensure the Capitol is a safe working environment and that people can do their work without the threat of harassment or retaliation.
The Oregon Education Association, among others, called for Hernandez to step down. In a statement, the association said: These abuses of power have made us lose our confidence in Rep. Hernandez and we believe that he can no longer effectively represent the members of his district.
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As Hernandez Hearings Conclude, Enormous Pressure Builds for His Departure From House Gov. Kate Brown, Senate President Peter Courtney and 26 House Democrats call on the Portland lawmaker to resign. Rep. Diego Hernandez. (Sam Gehrke) Updated February 5 After the Oregon House Conduct Committee completed a week s worth of hearings into sexual harassment allegations against state Rep. Diego Hernandez (D-Portland), calls for his resignation or expulsion from the House intensified today. Following testimony from five women who said Hernandez used his position in the Legislature improperly in relationships with them, the four-member Conduct Committee voted unanimously to sustain 18 findings of violations of House Rule 27, which pertains to sexual harassment and creating a hostile workplace.
The pressure for state Rep. Diego Hernandez (D-Portland) to resign is increasing. Over the past week, Gov. Kate Brown, state lawmakers and many political organizations have called for Hernandez’s resignation from the Oregon Legislature over sexual harassment allegations in his office.
On Jan. 22, the law firm Jackson Lewis, P.C. published an investigative report on Hernandez’s alleged actions. The investigators interviewed five subjects and others who do business at the Capitol who had experienced Hernandez’s behavior.
The report ended by saying Hernandez “consistently blurred the lines between their personal and professional relationships and that conduct had a negative impact on their ability to do business at the Capitol.”