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Staffer Claims Sexual Harassment By Doug Bruce

More Trouble For Lawmaker From Colorado Springs

POSTED: 9:46 pm MDT April 30, 2008
UPDATED: 10:30 am MDT May 1, 2008

A female staffer at the state capitol has accused State Rep. Douglas Bruce of sexual harassment.

Bruce, a controversial Colorado Springs Republican, told 7NEWS, "I did nothing wrong and I don't know this person."

The woman reportedly filed a complaint earlier this week after she was offended by a comment Bruce made.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff could not confirm that a formal complaint has been filed, but other lawmakers said that Bruce was ordered Wednesday to have no contact with the woman.

Romanoff handed a letter to Bruce on the House floor and they briefly spoke about it in Romanoff's office, lawmakers said.

"If there is truth to this it will be dealt with, and if not, it will be quickly put to rest," said Nathan Fisk, executive director for El Paso County Republicans.

"If it turns out that there has been wrongdoing, it'll be dealt with in the proper manner and if not, Rep. Bruce will be exonerated and be able to move forward with his legislative policies," Fisk told KRDO-TV.

This is not the first time Bruce has been in trouble since he joined the legislature in January.

Just before being sworn-in to office, Bruce kicked a news photographer who took his picture during the morning prayer. Lawmakers censured the freshman lawmaker for his actions.

Earlier this month, another representative silenced Bruce after he used the term "illiterate peasants" during a debate on a bill about immigrant farm workers. He also refused to co-sponsor a resolution honoring military veterans and was removed from the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee as a result.

Bruce was appointed to the legislature to fill a vacancy and served previously as an El Paso County commissioner. Before that, he gained notoriety as the author of Colorado's TABOR amendment, called the Taxpayer's Bill Of Rights.


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