Two girls have accused a Loveland state lawmaker of constructing graphic, sexual feedback about them at public occasions, based on statements the ladies despatched to the Home Republican caucus.
Within the joint letter, the 2 girls alleged that Rep. Ron Weinberg made undesirable and specific sexual advances to them at public occasions in 2021 and 2022, earlier than he was within the legislature. Each exchanges occurred in entrance of witnesses, together with a husband of one of many girls, based on the letter.
“Every of us has skilled sexual harassment from Consultant Weinberg,” Heather Sales space and Jacqueline Anderson wrote. “He has engaged in inappropriate sexual habits, made unwelcome sexual feedback, and pursued undesirable sexual advances.”
Weinberg had just lately introduced that he would run for the third-ranking minority management place within the Home. However he dropped out Friday in a post on the social platform X, writing that he wouldn’t pursue the minority whip place. He didn’t point out the letter however cited a want to spend extra time together with his spouse and household.
On Monday, Home Minority Chief Rose Pugliese acknowledged the letter on social media, writing that legislative leaders would “take these allegations critically.”
Neither Weinberg nor his legal professional returned messages in search of remark Monday afternoon. Weinberg denied the allegations in an announcement to the Colorado Solar.
Each of the ladies who wrote the letter have been concerned in Republican politics. On the time of the incidents alleged, Anderson was the vice chair of the Mesa County Republican Occasion, whereas Sales space was on the Elizabeth college board.
Anderson advised JS in an interview that she and Sales space had been harassed by Weinberg at an annual Management Program of the Rockies occasion in February 2022. Weinberg allegedly additionally made a lewd remark to Anderson and her husband — about desirous to have intercourse with Anderson — on the identical occasion the yr prior, in June 2021.
Anderson and Sales space’s letter was despatched to the Home Republican caucus and posted to social media final week, after Weinberg introduced that he supposed to run for the management place inside the caucus.
On the time of the alleged harassment, Weinberg was the chair of the Larimer County Republican Occasion and a member of the Larimer County Planning Fee. He can be appointed to the legislature via a emptiness committee a number of months later, in fall 2022, and take workplace in early 2023. He was elected to a brand new time period final November.
Within the letter, Anderson wrote that Weinberg approached her at a Management Program of the Rockies occasion on the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs in June 2021, at a desk the place she sat together with her husband, Cory. Weinberg allegedly advised Cory Anderson that Weinberg was going to have intercourse together with his spouse, utilizing an expletive.
“It was simply surprising,” Jacqueline Anderson stated in an interview. She remembered questioning whether or not she’d heard Weinberg accurately. “And my husband’s like, ‘Excuse me?’ And (Weinberg) stated it once more. And I stated, ‘Yeah, I don’t suppose so.’ ”
Anderson stated she and her husband noticed Weinberg the subsequent day and confronted him. Weinberg, she stated, stated he didn’t bear in mind saying something and famous he’d had an excessive amount of to drink the evening earlier than. He apologized, she stated.
However Anderson stated he made the identical remark almost a yr later, in February 2022. She stated her husband, who was once more current, needed to be restrained.
Sales space didn’t return a message in search of remark about her allegations concerning Weinberg.
Within the letter, she wrote that Weinberg approached her and a buddy on the February 2022 occasion, because the pair jokingly mentioned getting a facelift. Weinberg allegedly advised Sales space that she didn’t want a facelift and that she was lovely. He then allegedly made a lewd remark involving his penis and a intercourse act.
“It was humiliating, disgusting, and terrifying,” Sales space wrote. “We had been dressed up at a public occasion, and this man thought it was okay to sexually degrade me like that. I nonetheless can’t shake how powerless and violated I felt.”
Anderson stated she didn’t find out about Sales space’s account from the February 2022 occasion till just lately. However she stated she met with officers from the Management Program of the Rockies after she stated she heard about an account from a 3rd lady that additionally concerned Weinberg. She stated the group’s leaders banned Weinberg from attending future occasions.
Messages despatched to the group by The Submit weren’t returned Monday.
In Pugliese’s social media post Monday, the Home’s high Republican wrote: “We take these allegations critically. We’re cooperating with the correct authorities to make sure all accusations are correctly dealt with and have forwarded the knowledge to Office Relations for evaluate.”
The Workplace of Legislative Office Relations is the legislature’s model of a human sources division. However it’s unclear what oversight the workplace can have over the alleged misconduct, because it occurred earlier than Weinberg joined the legislature.
When he withdrew from the whip race Friday, Weinberg cited solely private causes, writing on X: “Titles and positions imply little in the event that they price you your peace, your loved ones, and your objective. My obligation stays to serve my district and stand for our conservative rules, however I can’t sacrifice the time and presence my family members deserve.”
Anderson stated she determined to publicly disclose her allegations when she discovered that Weinberg was pursuing a management function. The whip place had opened with the resignation of Berthoud Rep. Ryan Armagost.
The race for minority whip turned heated on social media in current days, however Anderson stated her determination to talk out wasn’t politically motivated.
“My stance is, I don’t actually care who’s whip; it simply can’t be Ron,” she stated. “… His habits continues to be an issue, and he’s not being held accountable. That’s simply form of the place I’m at. Sufficient’s sufficient.”
Weinberg was not current on the Home Republican caucus assembly Monday morning, the place the caucus elected freshman Rep. Carlos Barron to turn out to be the brand new whip.
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