Thurston County has still not released the results of its protracted investigation into Commissioner Emily Clouse, who was indefinitely suspended from some of her appointments last month.
The Olympian asked the county to provide an update on the investigation and share when the public can expect a final report that was promised by the Board of County Commissioners in a Sept. 6 statement.
Amy Davis, Clerk of the Board, said on Thursday that the investigation is still ongoing and she was unable to say when the report may be released. As for Clouse's suspension, Davis provided no update on when that may be addressed again.
"Commissioner Clouse remains in her position as County Commissioner," Davis said. "Commissioner appointments to outside boards and commissions are at the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners. As of now, no time frame has been announced for reconsidering appointments to outside boards and commissions."
Commissioners Wayne Fournier, Carolina Mejia and Gary Edwards voted to suspend Clouse on Aug. 13, two weeks after the board decided to contract with an independent workplace investigator to look into a complaint against Clouse.
It's been about one and a half months since Clouse's suspension and three weeks since the board promised to release the results of the investigation and issue a statement.
In a Thursday statement to The Olympian, Maia Robbins, Clouse's attorney, said her client is eager for closure and transparency.
"The Board's delay with finalizing the investigation has been frustrating, especially because the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated," Robbins said. "Commissioner Clouse remains committed to her role as an elected official. She has stayed active in community outreach and remains dedicated to serving the community. She continues to engage with constituents to the best of her ability in light of the suspensions."
Clouse has not been given any a timeline for when this process will conclude, Robbins said.
Earlier this month, Robbins said her client "reserves the right to pursue legal action" against the three commissioners who voted for her suspension.
"In terms of legal action, Commissioner Clouse continues to explore all options and remains focused on ensuring that the investigation process is fair and transparent," Robbins said on Thursday.
What do we know about the allegations so far?
The county has declined to elaborate on the nature of the allegations against Clouse. However, some details have come out in statements from Clouse's seatmates, her attorney and news reports.
Robbins told The Olympian last month that the county is investigating a brief dating relationship between Clouse and a "colleague at work." She said both the dating relationship and the employment relationship "recently ended."
Earlier this month, The Chronicle reported that it obtained a Sept. 5 letter from an attorney representing a county employee who made the complaint against Clouse.
The letter reportedly accused Clouse of engaging in a "pattern of abusive, unwelcome and sexual behavior" against the employee and firing him about 30 minutes after he reported the alleged conduct to the county's human resources department on July 26.
The letter alleges Clouse created a "hostile work environment" that amounted to "quid pro quo sexual harassment," according to The Chronicle.
The letter reportedly goes on to allege county officials asked the employee what amount of money it would take for him to "keep quiet" about his allegations against Clouse. The Chronicle reported the employee was placed on administrative leave soon after this interaction.
The Chronicle identified the attorney who wrote the letter as Edward Earl Younglove III of Younglove, Coker and Rhodes, an Olympia law office. Younglove and his office have not responded to a request for comment from The Olympian.
The letter was reportedly sent days after Commissioner Tye Menser made a failed motion to reinstate Clouse to her appointed boards and commissions. Menser made the motion after the board heard a preliminary verbal report on the results of the investigation during a close-door meeting on Aug. 29.
At the time, Menser said the "inflammatory allegations" that justified her suspension were found to be unsubstantiated by the independent investigator.
"We heard our advice from counsel on this issue and I'm really confused as to why we wouldn't restore the commissioner to her assignments at this juncture," Menser said on Sept. 3.
In the board's Sept. 6 statement, the board called the accusations against Clouse "extremely concerning" and explained why the investigation was continuing.
"The initial verbal report from the investigator ruled out some aspects of the accusations; however, there remain questions from the Board about Commissioner Clouse's judgment and conduct as it relates to the details of the situation," the board said on Sept. 6.
When reached for comment, Robbins referred to Menser's Sept. 3 comments and downplayed the allegations in the letter The Chronicle reported.
"This attorney's letter, sent two days later, does not turn those claims into fact," Robbins said. "It is simply leveraging untruthful allegations to capitalize on Thurston County taxpayers."
Robbins has accused Commissioners Fournier, Edwards and Mejia of orchestrating Clouse's suspension and prolonging the investigation for political gain.
Some of her supporters have echoed those comments and accused the board of interfering in the democratic process.
During an Aug. 20 board meeting, Mejia said she did not vote to suspend Clouse out of "political vindictiveness" and she had nothing to gain from this situation. She also accused Clouse of using "her position of power and system" and making it "work for her."
"These past three weeks have been a waste of government resources, taxpayer money and a huge emotional burden," Mejia said. "I'm disappointed because I've seen what I myself have experienced and what other people of color experience over and over in these systems."
The Olympian has made multiple public records requests for documents related to the situation. The county has indicated it will take several months for records to be delivered.
___
(c)2024 The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.)
Visit The Olympian (Olympia, Wash.) at www.theolympian.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
