CLOSE Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, has been accused of sexual harassment and unwanted touching. A report released Feb. 6 details a longstanding pattern of sexual misconduct that escalated in the 2017 legislative session. Wochit

State Sen. Jeff Kruse, seen here during a 2014 legislative committee hearing, has voted against indoor smoking bans. (Photo: Statesman Journal file)

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon Sen. Jeff Kruse announced his resignation, effective March 15, from the state Legislature Thursday afternoon following allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues and other staffers.

In an emailed statement, Kruse said he continues to deny the allegations.

“However, today I tender my resignation so my colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction and my constituents may receive the fullest representation they are due,” he wrote.

Calls for Kruse’s resignation mounted this week after the release of a 51-page report describing a litany of allegations against Kruse, including “cupping” a lobbyists buttock, calling a law student “sexy,” and “little girl,” and commenting on her legs, numerous instances of unwanted hugging, massaging, touching, kissing and placing his hands on women’s waists or near their breasts.

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A conduct committee of two Republican and two Democratic senators is scheduled to meet to discuss the investigation's findings and possible actions Feb. 22.

In a letter sent to the Secretary of State Dennis Richardson Office on Thursday, Kruse said, "Please accept this notice of my resignation from the office of State Senator - District 1, effective March 15, 2018. I understand that after February 13, 2018, this notification becomes irrevocable."

Senators Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, and Jackie Winters, R-Salem, leave the Senate chambers after Sine Die to adjourn the 2015 legislative session at the Oregon Capitol, on Monday, July 6, 2015, in Salem, Ore. (Photo: BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal)

Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, the first woman to publicly accuse him of sexual harassment, told the Statesman Journal that while she appreciates his resignation, she doesn't understand why it isn't immediate.

"How are we keeping women safe for the next five weeks?" Gelser said.

Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, said he had been working this week with leadership in the Senate Republican Caucus to secure Kruse's resignation.

“While Senator Kruse’s resignation ends a difficult chapter for the Legislature, we cannot allow it to end this discussion. We owe it to the courageous women who came forward to seize this moment," Courtney said. “The Legislative Branch is committed to providing a safe and respectful workplace that is free of harassment."

Rep. Knute Buehler, a Bend Republican, said in a tweet, "Sen. Kruse did the right thing by resigning today. Sexual misconduct has no place in the work place or any place for that matter."

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Thursday morning, a group of 125 lobbyists, politicians and state organizations did the same in an open letter to Kruse and the Senate.

"The bravery of these women should not be dismissed or disrespected by allowing Sen. Kruse to continue to be an elected official in our state," the letter reads, in part.

Signed onto the letter are organizations including Basic Rights Oregon, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and a handful of unions.

“The revelations in the report about Senator Kruse’s actions are devastating. I believe the women who courageously came forward. It was past time for Senator Kruse to resign," Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, said Thursday evening. "We now have work to do to make our Capitol a harassment-free workplace, and that all individuals are respected.”

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Senate Republican Leader Jackie Winters, D-Salem, thanked Kruse for his service.

"He has been a true advocate for his district and rural Oregon," Winters said. "As we move forward we must work to provide a safe work environment for all."

“Serving the people of Curry and portions of Coos, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties for the past 22 years has been the greatest honor of my life,” Kruse wrote in his statement. “I have been proud to serve alongside my colleagues in the Oregon House and Senate, and I am very proud of my accomplishments in healthcare and education. I look forward to returning to the wonderful community that has supported me for over two decades."

Kruse's resignation follows the expulsion in Arizona last week of a state representative for sexual misconduct, thought to be the first one since the Me Too movement started in 2017.

Follow Tracy Loew and Jonathan Bach on Twitter: @Tracy_Loew and @jonathanmbach

CLOSE An Oregon state lawmaker accused of groping women defied calls to resign Wednesday after telling investigators his behavior was "instinctual" and hard to change. (Feb. 7) AP

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2nN6Yew</s>SALEM, Ore. — The Latest on an Oregon state senator accused of inappropriate behaviour (all times local):

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a letter to Secretary of State Dennis Richardson that his resignation is effective March 15.

An investigative report documented allegations that Kruse harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

Kruse wrote that after next Tuesday the resignation is irrevocable.

Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick praised the women who spoke up about the harassment.

“Women showed incredible courage to come out with their experiences, and hopefully this will provide them with some comfort,” the Democrat told reporters.

The president of the Oregon state Senate said Sen. Jeff Kruse made the right decision in resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed women in the Capitol building with hugging, groping and other physical contact.

Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said the resignation by the long-serving Republican ends a difficult chapter for the Legislature but the discussion on ending harassment must continue.

Jackie Winters, the state Senate Republican leader in the Legislature dominated by Democrats, thanked Kruse for his 22 years of service.

Winters said lawmakers must work to provide a safe work environment for everyone.

An Oregon state senator says he is resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement Thursday that he denies the allegations, but he is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction.

An investigative report released Tuesday documented allegations that he harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, Oregon, had been stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.

An Oregon legislator first elected more than two decades ago is facing sanctions after allegations of inappropriate behaviour that one female colleague says spanned years.

Sen. Sara Gelser, a Democrat from the college town of Corvallis, says Sen. Jeff Kruse has harassed many women in the Capitol through prolonged hugs and other unwanted touching. She filed an informal complaint two years ago and Kruse was warned by Legislature’s lawyers and human resources not to touch women in the Capitol.

But he didn’t stop, Gelser says.

Last fall, Gelser filed a formal complaint against Kruse following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against men in power.

Kruse didn’t return an email seeking comment from The Associated Press but has said previously that he won’t step down.</s>An Oregon state senator says he is resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement Thursday that he denies the allegations, but he is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction. His resignation is effective March 15.

The move comes after an investigative report documented allegations that Kruse harassed or groped female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

The investigation also found that Kruse continued the behavior despite warnings, and escalated his harassment of female colleagues after being told not to touch women at work.

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, who has served more than 20 years in the Oregon Senate, had been stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.

Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick praised the women who spoke up about the harassment.

'Women showed incredible courage to come out with their experiences, and hopefully this will provide them with some comfort,' the Democrat told reporters.

Democratic state senators Sara Gelser and Elizabeth Steiner Hayward accused Kruse of sexual harassment last fall. It was a formal complaint by Geiser that triggered an outside investigation arranged by a legislative committee.

Independent investigator Dian Rubanoff found the senator engaged in a 'longstanding pattern of unwelcome physical contact' that victimized a House member, a third female senator, two law students who used to work for him, Republican and non-partisan staffers, a former legislative aide and a lobbyist, according to Oregon Live.

According to the report, one of the law students said Kruse called her 'little girl' and 'sexy' while she worked at the Capitol. The anonymous woman also said the disgraced senator would pull her into tight hugs at least twice per week.

Kruse allegedly told Rubanoff that his behavior was 'instinctual' and that 'It's not easy to change when you have been doing something for 67 years.'

The president of the Oregon state Senate said Sen. Jeff Kruse made the right decision in resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed women in the Capitol building with hugging, groping and other physical contact.

Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said the resignation by the long-serving Republican ends a difficult chapter for the Legislature but the discussion on ending harassment must continue.

Jackie Winters, the state Senate Republican leader in the Legislature dominated by Democrats, thanked Kruse for his 22 years of service, and said lawmakers must work to provide a safe work environment for everyone.</s>SALEM, Ore. — The Latest on an Oregon state senator accused of inappropriate (all times local):

The president of the Oregon state Senate said Sen. Jeff Kruse made the right decision in resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed women in the Capitol building with hugging, groping and other physical contact.

Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat, said the resignation by the long-serving Republican ends a difficult chapter for the Legislature but the discussion on ending harassment must continue.

Jackie Winters, the state Senate Republican leader in the Legislature dominated by Democrats, thanked Kruse for his 22 years of service.

Winters said lawmakers must work to provide a safe work environment for everyone.

An Oregon state senator says he is resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement Thursday that he denies the allegations, but he is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction.

An investigative report released Tuesday documented allegations that he harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, Oregon, had been stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.

An Oregon legislator first elected more than two decades ago is facing sanctions after allegations of inappropriate that one female colleague says spanned years.

Sen. Sara Gelser, a Democrat from the college town of Corvallis, says Sen. Jeff Kruse has harassed many women in the Capitol through prolonged hugs and other unwanted touching. She filed an informal complaint two years ago and Kruse was warned by Legislature's lawyers and human resources not to touch women in the Capitol.</s>Months after Sen. Jeff Kruse was accused by two female senators of inappropriate behavior, a report now found the allegations were indeed true.

In a statement issued to the media, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown asked the senator to step down after an independent investigation Tuesday confirmed Kruse’s inappropriate behavior against women.

The governor said, "Senator Kruse's behavior is not acceptable in the Capitol or any workplace, and he should step down."

According to reports, the independent investigator, attorney Dian Rubanoff, concluded in a report released Tuesday that Kruse did not just subject the two senators to unwanted advances but also groped and gave lingering hugs to many women working at the Oregon Capitol.

"The legislature must immediately take steps to ensure that every person who walks into Oregon's Capitol is safe and respected, allowing the focus in the capitol to be where it should: on serving the people of Oregon," she added.

During the course of the investigation, Rubanoff found that Kruse while being “oblivious” to the effects of his actions engaged in "longstanding pattern of unwelcome physical contact," Oregon Live reported.

The report further stated his actions escalated despite warnings to stop the inappropriate behavior. The allegations against Kruse came to light in October 2017 when two senators accused him of inappropriately touching them. The accusation triggered a fact-finding enquiry in the capitol against the senator. Since then several more women had accused the senator of resorting to inappropriate behavior following which the governor said that work place harassment was absolutely unacceptable.

Though the senator conceded he did touch the women, he denied allegations of misconduct and said his motive was well-intended and that he thought they were well received by the women.

However in October 2017, Sen. Jackie Dingfelder said the behavior violated social boundaries and she found it demeaning and humiliating referring to the incident where the senator had inappropriately touched her back during a committee hearing.

House Speaker Tina Kotek on Tuesday evening asked Kruse to step down.

In a statement she said, "The third-party investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Senator Jeff Kruse was thorough and fair. It showed a pervasive and persistent pattern of inappropriate and unacceptable behavior that is not permissible for anyone, let alone an elected official."

She further added, "The people of Oregon and the women who work in the Capitol deserve better. He should resign, and if he chooses not to, the Senate should expel him. Thank you to the brave women who came forward with their reports of harassment. I promise to do everything in my power to make sure their courage brings about real change."</s>The decision comes after Kruse was accused by multiple women, including female Senators Sara Gelser and Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, of harassment.

Multiple lawmakers, including Governor Kate Brown and members of his own party, called for him to step down.

In a statement to KXL, Senator Gelser said “I am glad that Senator Kruse resigned as it is the right thing to do given the overwhelming findings of fact by the independent investigator…I am puzzled and disappointed that it will not be effective until March 15th, which is more than a month from now.”

In his resignation letter, Kruse continued to deny the allegations.

In recent weeks there have been allegations that I harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate. I continue to deny these allegations and I regret that I will not have the opportunity to defend myself before the Senate Conduct Committee. However, today I tender my resignation so my colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction and my constituents may receive the fullest representation they are due.

Serving the people of Curry and portions of Coos, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties for the past 22 years has been the greatest honor of my life. I have been proud to serve alongside my colleagues in the Oregon House and Senate, and I am very proud of my accomplishments in healthcare and education. I look forward to returning to the wonderful community that has supported me for over two decades.</s>SALEM, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon state senator says he is resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement Thursday that he denies the allegations, but he is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction.

An investigative report released Tuesday documented allegations that he harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, Oregon, had been stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.

Get breaking news, weather, and traffic on the go. Download our News App and our Weather App for your phone and tablet.</s>SALEM, Ore. — The Latest on an Oregon state senator accused of inappropriate behavior (all times local):

An Oregon state senator says he is resigning after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement Thursday that he denies the allegations, but he is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction.

An investigative report released Tuesday documented allegations that he harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, Oregon, had been stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.

An Oregon legislator first elected more than two decades ago is facing sanctions after allegations of inappropriate behavior that one female colleague says spanned years.

Sen. Sara Gelser, a Democrat from the college town of Corvallis, says Sen. Jeff Kruse has harassed many women in the Capitol through prolonged hugs and other unwanted touching. She filed an informal complaint two years ago and Kruse was warned by Legislature's lawyers and human resources not to touch women in the Capitol.

But he didn't stop, Gelser says.

Last fall, Gelser filed a formal complaint against Kruse following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against men in power.

Kruse didn't return an email seeking comment from The Associated Press but has said previously that he won't step down.</s>An Oregon state senator resigned Thursday after an investigation determined he had harassed multiple women in the Capitol building with prolonged hugging, groping and other unwelcome physical contact.

Sen. Jeff Kruse said in a statement he denies the allegations, but is stepping down so his colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction.

An investigative report released Tuesday documented allegations that he harassed female colleagues while talking to them in public areas of the Senate.

The investigation was one of many in statehouses nationwide following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against men in power since an October expose of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein by the New York Times. In Arizona, Republican state Rep. Don Shooter was voted out of office on Feb. 1 after sexual misconduct allegations, becoming the first state lawmaker in the U.S. to be expelled since the #MeToo movement gained steam.

Several politicians, including Gov. Kate Brown, had called for Kruse’s resignation.

Sen. Sara Gelser, a Democrat from the college town of Corvallis, said Kruse harassed many women in the Capitol through prolonged hugs and other unwanted touching.

However, worried about causing a disruption and also about the impact a formal complaint would have on her relationships with other lawmakers, Gelser chose to file an informal complaint two years ago, which led the Legislature’s lawyers and human resources to warn Kruse not to touch women in the Capitol.

But he didn’t stop, Gelser said.

Last fall, Gelser publicly identified Kruse as her harasser following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations against men in power.

She filed a formal complaint in November, which triggered a requirement that a legislative committee arrange for an outside investigation of her claims. Another lawmaker, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, also made a formal complaint against Kruse.

Kruse was accused of harassment but generally not of a sexual nature, though an investigator found that he touched and hugged women more than men, and the people who complained were women.

An investigative report made public late Tuesday said Gelser would try to move away or avoid Kruse but didn’t feel comfortable telling him that the conduct was unwelcome.

Gelser said that when she was sitting at her desk on the House floor in 2011, where she first served in the Legislature, Kruse leaned onto her back and put his hands and arms down her shoulders and across her breasts.

Kruse also groped or gave lingering hugs to two law students who used to work for him, Republican and non-partisan staffers, a former legislative aide and a lobbyist, according to the 51-page investigative report by investigator and employment law attorney Dian Rubanoff. The other women cited in the report who complained weren’t named.

Kruse told the investigator that he believed his behavior was “instinctual” and that although he wanted to change, “It’s not easy to change when you have been doing something for 67 years.”

Kruse, who represents the former timber town of Roseburg, didn’t appear on the Senate floor when it convened Wednesday.

He was stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate president late last year because of the complaints.</s>Oregon state Sen. Jeff Kruse has resigned, while continuing to deny allegations of sexual harassment at the Capitol.

Kruse issued a statement Thursday saying he was tendering his resignation, “so my colleagues may focus on serving Oregonians without distraction and my constituents may receive the fullest representation they are due.”

Kruse has been in the state legislature for 22 years.

“I continue to deny these allegations and I regret that I will not have the opportunity to defend myself before the Senate Conduct Committee,” Kruse said in a statement Thursday.

A report from an independent investigator this week alleged Kruse has a longstanding pattern of harassment toward women, including unwanted touching, groping and kissing.

The report states Kruse was warned about his behavior, but he did not stop, even joking about sexual harassment training and telling another senator that, “a lot of women cry wolf.”

The Senate Republican Caucus released a statement Wednesday saying, “The report stands on its own,” and, “The behavior alleged in the report, if true, is obviously not acceptable to the Senate Republican Caucus.”

Some lawmakers, including Gov. Kate Brown, had called for Kruse to step down this week. His resignation is effective March 15.

Sen. Jackie Winters released a statement Thursday on Kruse, saying, "He has been a true advocate for his district and rural Oregon. As we move forward, we must work to provide a safe work environment for all."

Kruse, who has served Curry County and portions of Coos, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties, said, “I look forward to returning to the wonderful community that has supported me for over two decades.”
Jeff Kruse announces his resignation from the Oregon State Senate, effective March 15, amid allegations that he sexually harassed female colleagues and other staffers. Kruse denies the allegations.