A Republican State Senator says it's time his party's leader in the Senate resign in the wake of the sexual harrassment lawsuit by Kirsten Anderson.
Sen. Rick Bertrand of Sioux City, released a statement Wednesday charging that the "decision to fire Anderson hours after she complained about sexual harrassment "was Bill Dix's decision."
Bertrand says "Senator Dix has a pattern of retaliation" and his "lack of judgement has consequences.
Anderson Tuesday was awarded nearly $2.2 million in damages in her lawsuit against the state of Iowa and the Iowa Senate GOP. That damage award would have to come from Iowa's General Fund.
Here's the text of Sen. Bertrand's release:
(Sioux City, Iowa) Sioux City State Senator Rick Bertrand today called for Senator Bill Dix to resign his position as the Republican Senate Majority Leader in lieu of the jury verdict and 2.2 million dollar damage award in the former Republican Caucus staffer Kirsten Anderson lawsuit.
“After learning the facts of this lawsuit, and reading the shocking testimony of the current caucus staff, I believe it’s time for Senator Dix to step aside as Majority leader and allow the Senate Republican caucus a start fresh.” Bertrand stated.
Multiple current Republican staff members testified that they witnessed this ongoing inappropriate behavior, but did not say anything to leadership for fear of retaliation.
Testimony showed that Ms. Anderson was fired just 7 hours after delivering a formal harassment complaint to Senate leadership.
“Senator Dix has a pattern of retaliation, we all know that, and unfortunately power has that effect on some people, and this jury did not believe that Ms. Anderson was justly fired, and ultimately her dismissal was Bill Dix’s decision, and that lack of judgement has consequences.”