Jeff Kruse Explained

Jeff Kruse
Image Name:Jeff Kruse.jpg
State Senate:Oregon State
State:Oregon
District:1st
Termstart:January 2005
Termend:March 15, 2018
Preceded:Bill Fisher
Succeeded:Dallas Heard
State House2:Oregon
State2:Oregon
District2:45th (to 2002), later 7th
Termstart2:January 1997
Termend2:January 2005
Preceded2:Bill Fisher
Succeeded2:Bruce Hanna
Party:Republican
Birth Date:7 September 1951
Birth Place:Oregon
Alma Mater:Willamette University
Occupation:Farmer
Residence:Roseburg, Oregon

Jeff Kruse (born September 7, 1951) is a former Republican member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 1st District from 1996 until his resignation for sexual harassment in 2018.[1]

Committees

Kruse formerly sat on the following Senate Committees:

Native American mascot controversy

In July 2013, Kruse gained national attention by appearing in a CNN video news story about a bill he sponsored. His bill would reverse an existing Oregon law requiring public schools to remove what some colleagues consider "racist" and "insensitive" references to Native Americans on their sports team's uniforms. Prior to the enactment of the 2012 Oregon law, the State Superintendent of Schools had determined that the continued use of Native American mascots has created a "hostile educational environment". Schools have been given until 2017 to comply with the required change. In defending his bill, Kruse has asked: "do we change the entire world for the small few [''sic'']? He graduated from Roseburg High School whose mascot is "the Indians". This mascot is frequently depicted in cartoons as clownish or as a charging warrior. The images have offended citizens of Native American descent and caused local controversy.[2]

Sexual harassment allegations

See also: Me Too movement. In October 2017, Kruse was removed from all of his Senate committee assignments by Senate President Peter Courtney. An article in The Oregonian indicated that Kruse had been accused of inappropriate touching and had failed to resolve ongoing workplace issues.[3]

The removal came days after Senator Sara Gelser indicated that Kruse had inappropriately touched her. Senator Ginny Burdick supported Gelser's allegations, calling Kruse's behavior a "chronic problem", recalling an incident where she had to tell Kruse to get his hands off of Gelser and another incident where Kruse had inappropriately touched a female staffer on the Senate floor.[4]

Kruse's smoking violations in his Capitol office were also a factor in the sanctions. He categorically denied any inappropriate behavior while acknowledging that "the smoking still is an issue that I will not deny."[5]

On February 9, 2018, Kruse announced his resignation, to take effect March 15, 2018.[6]

On April 17, 2018 fellow member of the Douglas County delegation Dallas Heard succeeded Kruse as State Senator for the Oregon State Senate 1st District.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Government Legislators and Staff, 2005 Regular Session. Oregon State Archives. January 1, 2013. October 1, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191001204636/http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6785360. live.
  2. News: Lose that mascot, or lose state funding. CNN. July 18, 2013. October 24, 2017. October 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171025022333/http://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2013/07/18/erin-pkg-blackwell-native-american-mascots.cnn. live.
  3. News: Gordon R.. Friedman. Oregon state senator booted from committees over 'ongoing workplace issues'. KATU. October 21, 2017. October 24, 2017. October 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171025073604/http://katu.com/news/politics/oregon-state-senator-booted-from-committees-over-ongoing-workplace-issues. live.
  4. News: Friedman. Gordon R.. State senator: Fellow senator groped me in Oregon Capitol. The Oregonian. October 23, 2017. October 24, 2017. October 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171025073520/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/state_senator_fellow_senator_g.html. live.
  5. News: Friedman. Gordon R.. State senator stripped of powers due to allegations of inappropriate touching in Capitol. The Oregonian. October 20, 2017. October 24, 2017. October 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171024151216/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/kruse.html?. live.
  6. Web site: Kruse to resign after finding of groping at Capitol. The Oregonian. February 9, 2018. February 9, 2018. February 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180209025600/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/02/kruse_resigns_after_finding_of.html. live.
  7. News: Hillary. Borrud. April 10, 2018. Roseburg Republican Dallas Heard selected to replace disgraced ex-lawmaker Jeff Kruse. The Oregonian.