NASHVILLE – When Kirsten Anderson submitted a memo detailing her concerns about sexual harassment at the Iowa Capitol, she expected comments about women in the office – their sex lives, breast sizes and the length of skirts worn by teenage pages – to stop.
Instead, Anderson was fired seven hours later from her job with the Iowa Republican Senate Caucus.
After four years of litigation that ended in September, the state agreed to pay $1.75 million to settle her claim, leaving taxpayers footing the bill. Her case is among the first in a recent wave of high-profile sexual harassment cases that have roiled state legislatures around the nation, highlighting the moral and financial liability states faces as claims pile up.
Read more at our news partner's website, tennessean.com.
STATEHOUSE HARASSMENT
States where lawmakers and others have been accused of sexual harassment this year:
ARIZONA
» Rep. Don Shooter: Eight women, including lawmakers, have accused Shooter of making sexually charged comments, touching them inappropriately, or making unwanted sexual advances.
CALIFORNIA
» Raul Bocanegra: Last month, news broke that the assemblyman was disciplined eight years ago after a female staffer accused him of inappropriate physical activity. This month, he announced he would resign next year.
» Sen. Tony Mendoza: Three women alleged inappropriate actions by the senator.
COLORADO
» Four lawmakers - Reps. Steve Lebsock and Paul Rosenthal and Sens. Randy Baumgardner and Jack Tate - have been accused of various forms of sexual harassment.
FLORIDA
» Sen. Jack Latvala: Six women have accused the senator, who is running for governor, of making inappropriate comments and unwanted touching in recent years.
ILLINOIS
» Sen. Ira Silverstein: The senator was accused of harassment by a victim rights advocate. He has since resigned from his leadership post.
IOWA
» The state in September agreed to pay $1.75 million to settle a lawsuit brought by a former Iowa Senate staffer who claimed she was fired just hours after lodging a complaint about sexual harassment.
KANSAS
» A former legislative staffer raised concerns that leaders failed to investigate complaints male lawmakers had been relying on female interns as designated drivers after they had been drinking at lobbyist-hosted functions.
KENTUCKY
» House Speaker Jeff Hoover: The lawmaker resigned from his leadership position after news broke that he and three other lawmakers reached a confidential settlement over sexual harassment claims.
» Sen. Julian Carroll: The senator was removed from his party leadership position after allegations surfaced he groped and made unwanted advances toward a man in 2005.
MASSACHUSETTS
» House leaders ordered a review of sexual harassment policies after a Boston Globe story in which women said the statehouse had a climate of harassment and sexual misconduct.
MINNESOTA
» Rep. Tony Cornish: The lawmaker is accused of frequently commenting about the appearance of a female lawmaker.
» Sen. Dan Schoen: He is accused of making unwanted sexual advances.
MISSOURI
' Rep. Joshua Peters: A female lawmaker has accused the lawmaker of inappropriately touching her.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
» Rep. Eric Schleien: The lawmaker was charged with sexual assault of a minor and is set to stand trial next year.
NEVADA
» Sen. Mark Manendo: The senator resigned after an investigation by an outside law firm found the lawmaker had violated the legislature's anti-harassment policy for engaging in repeated inappropriate behavior toward female staffers and lobbyists.
OHIO
» Sen. Cliff Hite: In mid-October, the lawmaker resigned from the seat he held for six years, citing family health issues. Hite later faced allegations from a female legislative employee who said he spent two months repeatedly pleading to have sex with her.
OREGON
» Sen. Jeff Kruse: At least 15 women, including state lawmakers, alleged the senator had inappropriate interactions. One woman said he touched her breasts and kissed her.
» Rep. David Gomberg: The lawmaker apologized last month for offending two women who accused him of wrongdoing two years before.
SOUTH DAKOTA
» Rep. Matthew Wollman: The lawmaker resigned after admitting to having sex with two interns.
» House Majority Leader Brian Gosch: A state senator accused the lawmaker of commenting on her breasts and asking her for a hug.
TENNESSEE
» Rep. Mark Lovell: The lawmaker resigned amid allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
» Rep. Jeremy Durham: The former lawmaker has been accused of inappropriate sexual contact with at least 22 women while serving in office.
VERMONT
» Sen. Norm McAllister: The former lawmaker was found guilty in July of arranging to have sexual relations with a woman in exchange for paying her electric bill.
WASHINGTON
» Rep. Brendan Williams: Three women have accused the lawmaker of sexual harassment and assault. A fourth woman said he kissed her against her will in 2015.