Senate
StateofMinnesota
March19,2012SenatorMichelleFischbach,ChairSenateRulesSubcommitteeonEthicalConduct226StateCapitolBuilding75ReverendMartinLutherKingJr.Blvd.St.Paul,MN.55155DearMadamChair,AttachedtothisletterisacomplaintregardingtheconductofSenatorGeoffMichel.ThiscomplaintispreparedpursuanttotheprovisionsofSenatePermanentRule55.Bythedeliveryofthisletterandattachedcomplaint,itisherbyfiledpursuanttoRule55.IaskfortheSubcommitteeonEthicalConducttoinvestigatethesemattersandtakeactioninaccordancewiththisRule.IlookforwardtotheSubcommitteeactingonthiscomplaint.Sincerely,
COMPLAINT
TOTHE
SUBCOMMITTEEONETHICALCONDUCTREGARDINGTHEACTIONSOFSENATORGEOFFMICHEL
SenatorSandraPappasbeingfirstdulysworn,statesandallegesunderoaththefollowingbaseduponinformationandbelief:1.OnDecember16,2011,thenInterimSenateMajorityLeaderGeoffMichel,alongwithSenatorDavidSenjem,SenatorDavidHann,andSenatorChrisGerlach,madeapublicstatementatapressconferenceinroom123oftheMinnesotaStateCapitolbuilding.2.Atthispressconference,SenatorMichelspokeabouttheeventsleadinguptotheresignationofSenatorAmyKochasMajorityLeaderoftheMinnesotaSenate.SenatorKochhadresignedherpositionasSenateMajorityLeaderinapublicletteronDecember15,2011.3.Atthispressconference,SenatorMichelstatedthefollowing:"overthecourseofthelastseveralweeks,membersofthesenatestaff,currentsenatestaffmembers,broughtforwardtoatleasttwoofushereatthetable,someseriousallegationsofaninappropriaterelationshipbetweentheMajorityLeaderandasenatestaffer."4.Laterinthepressconference,variousreporterssoughtclarificationofhowandwhenSenatorMichelbecameawareofanallegedinappropriaterelationshipbetweentheSenateMajorityLeaderandsubordinatesenateemployee,includingthefollowingseparateexchanges:
(a)Reporter:
"Dideachofthefiveofyoureceivecomplaints[fromsenateemployees]orwasitjustoneofyou,andyoubroughtintheothers?Howdidthatwork?"
Sen.Michel:
"Morethanoneofusandmorethanonecomplaint,again,nottryingtodancearoundthatDon,butwewanttobesensitivetothoseemployeeswhocameforward."
(b)Reporter:
"Soyoufolksdidnotknowaboutthisrelationshipbeforethestaffcametoyou?"
Sen.Michel:
"Correct."
(c)Reporter:
"Andthefirstcomplaintwasabouttwoweeksago?"
Sen.Michel:
"Yes.Thedaysarestartingtomeldintoeachotherhere,Rachel."
(d)Reporter:
"Yousaidthatyouhadbeenhearingaboutthisforsomeweeks,whydidittakeyouthatlongifthispossiblyhaslegalramifications?"
Sen.Michel:
"Ithinkit's,it'sdependingonthemember.I'vesaidweeks,that'scertainlytruefrommy,mypersonalknowledgeas,aspeopleapproachedme,andIwasdoingsome,again,someimmediatecheckingwith,onthehumanresources,andthelegalissuesofthis,andthenreachedouttosomeofmycolleagueshereontheleadershipteam."5.InaninterviewwithMinnesotaPublicRadiothatwasbroadcastonDecember21,2011,formerSenateRepublicanCaucuschiefofstaff,CullenSheehan,statedthefollowing:"Threemonthsago,IbecameawareofapotentialrelationshipbetweenSen.Kochandastaffperson."6.Mr.Sheehan'scommentscontinued:"Ithenspoketothestaffpersonandheconfirmedtherelationship.WeboththenmetwithSen.Kochandsheconfirmedtherelationship.ThenextdayImetwithSen.Kochtodiscussthesituation.IsubsequentlymetwiththeDeputyMajorityLeader."7.TheDecember21MinnesotaPublicRadioreportstated,"SheehanisalsothefirstpersontoreportaninappropriaterelationshipbetweenKochandamalestaffer.HesaidhefirstlearnedoftherelationshiponSept.21."8.TheDecember
21
MinnesotaPublicRadioreportalsostated,"MichelsaidhecontactedsenatehumanresourcesofficersandlawyersonSept.23tostartinvestigatingKoch'sbehavior."9.InaradiointerviewwithRonRosenbaumthatwasbroadcastonDecember31,2011,SenatorMichelassertedwhenhefirstbecameawareofanallegedinappropriaterelationshipbetweentheSenateMajorityLeaderandasubordinatesenateemployee,saying:"Icansharewithyouthat,IguessthefirstconversationsthatIhadaboutthisdatebacktotheendofSeptember,andthat'swhenourchiefofstaffcametomewithnewsorrevelationsthatwerestunningandhardformetobelieve,difficultformetobelieve,andsomethingIdidn'twanttobelieve,butalsorecognizedthesignificanceofitandtheneedtoact."
Search History:
Result 00 of 00
00 results for result for
p.
Ethics Complaint 03-19-12
537
Reads
0
Readcasts
14.8K
Embed Views
Get Scribd Mobile
To get Scribd mobile enter your number and we'll send you a link to the Scribd app for iPhone & Android.We've sent a link to the Scribd app. If you didn't receive it, try again.
We'll never share your phone number.
Recommended
More From This User
Notes
Load more
