Saturday, November 28, 2015

Spokane Mayor Covered Up Sexual Harassment Claims Against Straub According To Public Records

Public records obtained by a Spokane TV news station, KREM, reveal that a former spokewoman for the Spokane Police Department had complained about sexual harassment by her former boss, Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub, before she was transferred to a much better paying job. Mayor David Condon's office handled the matter discretely by transferring Straub's accuser, Monique Cotton, to a similar job in the parks department paying $10,000 more than the $80,000 she was paid by the police department.

According to the public records obtained by KREM, Cotton complained that Straub had grabbed her butt and tried to kiss her, and that the mayor had ignored past allegations of Straub harassing and creating a hostile work environment when he hired the former Indianapolis Public Safety Director for the police chief's job. Condon's office defended their decision not to make Cotton's allegations public because Cotton had not wanted to make her accusations public. Straub's attorney is furious with the former mayor because Cotton's complaint was not brought to his attention for response and no formal investigation had ever been conducted to determine the validity of Cotton's allegations.

Cotton never submitted a formal complaint against Straub; rather, she met with the City Administrator, Theresa Sanders, in April of this year to voice her concerns. Sanders recorded hand-written notes of her meeting with Cotton in which she described her as being "distraught" over allegations Straub had "grabbed her ass and tried to kiss her." Sanders forwarded her notes to Mayor Condon. Cotton later wrote a letter to Sanders describing her conditions for being moved to another position in city government.
"My transfer to a new position has to be viewed as advancement; without any hint that it is for any reason other than as a promotion for my past performance. I'm happy to participate in any investigation regarding the way I was berated on March 31, and other times I was berated however cannot cooperate with any investigation regarding the matters I presented confidentially to the Mayor and you because of the inevitable publicity and disclosures that will impact me and my life in every way – physically, emotionally, and professionally."
After Condon moved Cotton to her new job in the parks department, an attorney acting on her behalf starting writing letters to the city demanding reimbursement from the city for Cotton's legal expenses in an extortion-like fashion. Cotton's attorney threatened to go public with her allegations against Straub if she wasn't reimbursed over $13,000 for the attorney's fees he says she incurred. Cotton's attorney said a formal complaint would include allegations that Mayor Condon ignored Straub's past history of inappropriate behavior with female subordinates according to KREM. Straub later resigned in September after police officers brought a formal complaint against him; however, his attorney claims he was forced to resign by the mayor. Straub was allowed to draw a pay check through the end of the year under the terms of his resignation, but he subsequently filed a lawsuit demanding more money from the city.

Before Straub left his job as Indianapolis' Public Safety Director, it was learned that he had started a romantic relationship with a female co-worker he supervised. Upon accepting his new job in Spokane, it was revealed that he and former Animal Care & Control Director Amber Myers were engaged to be married. Myers quit her job in Indianapolis and moved to Spokane where she married Straub and obtained a job as an administrative law judge for Spokane city government.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

What the heck do women see in this guy?

Anonymous said...

Straub sounds like a real piece of work. I can't help think of the typical 40 or 50-soemthing Hoosier guy in a convertible, but not a real converible, probably a Chrysler Sebring or similar, with his hair plugs blowing in the breeze, thinking he's God's gift to women. Anybody who hires this POS deserves what they get...

Anonymous said...

You can own a home in Hamilton County, unless you are poor. Poor folk, stay in Indy... The Elite have spoken

http://www.ibj.com/articles/55969-hamco-officials-want-to-make-sure-tax-bills-will-offset-services-costs-for-new-housing

Paul K. Ogden said...

Anons, I think you're viewing the issue as a man would. Women are different creatures. While for men attractiveness is a primary issue and driven by looks alone, for many women whether they are attracted to man depends not primarily on the physical but on whether the man is successful financially and in his career. I remember the show Joe Millionaire in which a group of young women were fooled into thinking a young man was a successful millionaire. They all raved about how good looking he was until they found out the truth - he was poor. Then he was no longer attractive.

Anonymous said...

As a woman I will say, some women will throw themselves at anyone they think have money or power.

Years ago I heard of a guy who was having a baby with his wife and his girlfriend, both stayed at the same time. When I saw him I said, "I don't get it!"

Men are from Mars and women are from Venus.

Anonymous said...

It appears that Spokane failed to check out Straub's past history. "Past performance is the best predictor of future behavior." Straub's history and White Plains followed him here and he continued his bad behavior. He was again about to be terminated and resigned here, as he did in White Plains. He went to Spokane and engaged in the "same-ole, same-ole". Spokane gave him the boot.

Anyone think that with Staub it's "Three strikes and you're out."

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:35 it is AMAZING how failures are continued to be hired and promoted. It is the Peter Principle. Straub will continue to get hired and promoted over and over across this land. Shocking how convicted criminals of petty crime can't get a j-o-b but the higher they commit crimes the more they get promoted. THAT is the crime!

c. roger csee said...

Wonder what Amber Myers thinks now?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like he's a horndog.

John Accetturo said...

This is political code for we spent too much money but want more. City budgets are strapped because they have TIFd so many areas and real estate tax money is going to Redevelopment Commissions rather than into the city budget. Likewise they have spent too much trying to create utopia. Hamilton County is in real trouble and the problem is coming to roost. The politicians need to continue to give away taxpayers money to developers or they won't get anymore campaign contribution. Meanwhile they are claiming they need money for city services. This group up here in Hamilton County are running a close second to Chicago politicians. At least in Illinois they put them in jail when they are caught. That is a heck of a lot more than they do in Indiana. I would call them out by name but it isn't worth my time.

Anonymous said...

What's with the dual moles on Cotton's upper lip?

Anonymous said...

Yes, John A... and in Indy voting taxpayers suffer with an utterly useless and totally ineffective City County Council led by what I can best describe as an incompetent who thinks she is a Mastermind and deserving of more money. Typical politicians all... "more, more, more, sir" for me none for thee...unless you are a digital sign corporation, a Ponzi-like Angie's List, or a rent-a-civic-leader, or a billionaire French transnational corporatist.... Not one of those liars running for office in Indy said one damn things during their fierce campaigning about their distaste for the salaries of the jobs they all viciously fought for. They should hang their useless heads low in deep shame. They won't. But they should. Beginning with Maggie her self.

Greg Ballard proved beyond a shadow of a doubt Marion County does not need a City County Council nor any of the Councilors paid by mostly dead broke Marion County taxpayers. I say DISBAND THE INDIANAPOLIS CITY COUNTY COUNCIL. NOW.

Melyssa Hubbard said...

I've been horribly sexually harassed over the years. Never got a dime of compensation for the hell a few men have put me through.

In the 80's it was really bad. RCI, Angie's List and a female owned employment agency were the ONLY places where I've been free of harassment by men in the workplace.

Note all are female owned businesses.

Also, when I worked as a dominatrix, I was repeatedly sexually harassed by the city's vice cop/detective who the mayor sent.

It seems hardwired in men to harass women and the places who seem to take it most seriously are female owned businesses.