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City of Lynnwood Releases Report on Investigation of Mayor. And, Well... It's Pretty Insane
The Everett Herald follows up their story
(which I mentioned earlier this week) about the investigation of Lynnwood Mayor Don Gough, who was censured and asked to resign by the city council over allegations that he had harassed an employee and interfered with an investigation into her allegations. They report that the city of Lynnwood has finally released the report. And, well ... it's pretty insane. Here are just a few of the investigation's findings:
• Although he was told not to discuss the investigation with employees who might be witnesses, Gough did just that, demanding that employees help him respond to the investigation and even showing up at one employee's house.
• The investigation upheld allegations by one of Gough's former employees that he had mistreated her, but was inconclusive on the question of whether he had done so based on her gender. Gough was fond of referring to the employee who complained as the "queen bee," and another employee as "the ice queen." In a separate ruling, an administrative law judge found that Gough "verbally abuses and demeans" female employees at the city. The former employee also said he frequently yelled at her, swore at her, and otherwise verbally abused her and other employees.
• Gough falsely told investigators that he had not seen a 2009 memo prepared by the city's late former HR directro, Robin Hall, when not only had he seen the memo, he had provided copies of it to witnesses.
• While he was supposed to be on vacation, Gough showed up and camped out in the HR offices where investigators were interviewing witnesses. "From this location, he was able to see the witnesses coming and going and freely interacted with them," asking them substantive questions about the investigation, the report says. Investigators were forced to cancel several interviews out of concern about the witnesses.
• Although he was told not to discuss the investigation with employees who might be witnesses, Gough did just that, demanding that employees help him respond to the investigation and even showing up at one employee's house.
• The investigation upheld allegations by one of Gough's former employees that he had mistreated her, but was inconclusive on the question of whether he had done so based on her gender. Gough was fond of referring to the employee who complained as the "queen bee," and another employee as "the ice queen." In a separate ruling, an administrative law judge found that Gough "verbally abuses and demeans" female employees at the city. The former employee also said he frequently yelled at her, swore at her, and otherwise verbally abused her and other employees.
• Gough falsely told investigators that he had not seen a 2009 memo prepared by the city's late former HR directro, Robin Hall, when not only had he seen the memo, he had provided copies of it to witnesses.
• While he was supposed to be on vacation, Gough showed up and camped out in the HR offices where investigators were interviewing witnesses. "From this location, he was able to see the witnesses coming and going and freely interacted with them," asking them substantive questions about the investigation, the report says. Investigators were forced to cancel several interviews out of concern about the witnesses.
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