Iowa GOP lawmaker calls on party leader to resign after suit
July 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ā A Republican lawmaker in Iowa has called on one of his party’s statehouse leaders to resign following the conclusion of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former legislative aide.
Sen. Rick Bertrand of Sioux City said Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock should resign after a jury awarded $2.2 million to Kirsten Anderson, a former caucus communications director for Iowa Senate Republicans. The jury determined she was fired in 2013 after she reported rampant sexual harassment in the caucus office.
Republican officials argued Anderson was fired for poor job performance. Bertrand says Dix has a “pattern of retaliation” and Anderson’s dismissal was ultimately his decision. Dix was minority leader at the time. A spokesman for Dix says the senator has no comment.