By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics
State Rep. Brandi Bradley has sued a workplace harassment panel, alleging its proceedings against her were retaliatory and that the panel exceeded its authority in finding violations and recommending sanctions against her.
The lawsuit, filed Sept. 17 in Denver District Court, names the House Workplace Harassment Committee as a governmental body as the sole defendant. The panel is comprised of Reps. Jennifer Bacon, Matt Soper, Mary Bradfield, Matthew Martinez, Chris Richardson and Rebekah Stewart.
Bradley is seeking an injunction and judicial review of the committee’s actions, alleging she may have been punished for protected legislative speech and that the committee violated the Open Meetings Law because its deliberations, evidence gathering and decision-making happened in “secret.”
The dispute stems from workplace harassment complaints made allegedly against Bradley and the committee’s handling of them.
The committee on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend a resolution to House leadership censuring an unnamed legislator, identified at the time only as “a lawmaker,” on six workplace harassment charges.
In her complaint, Bradley said the Thursday proceeding and the committee’s handling of the matter were central to her decision to pursue legal action. Bradley’s attorney confirmed that the meeting is the subject of her lawsuit.
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