Kruse says he’ll stay away from Capitol during investigation

Kruse, a Republican from Roseburg, told his hometown newspaper The News-Review on Wednesday that he will not step down.

Kruse was absent from the Senate floor as it met, and no one was in his office.

Gov. Kate Brown and House Speaker Tina Kotek, among others, have called on Kruse to resign.

(Update: Kruse agrees to stay away from Capitol until investigation over)

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Republicans in the Oregon Senate say one of their members who is accused of groping women in the Capitol will stay away from the building until the investigative process is completed.

The Republican Senate caucus said Wednesday it has accepted Sen. Jeff Kruse’s offer to not be in the Capitol building pending the conclusion of the review.

A Senate panel will hold a hearing on the matter on Feb. 22.

A report from an independent investigator says Kruse subjected two female senators to unwanted touching and groped or gave lingering hugs to many women working at the Capitol.

He said he has significant issues with the report and will respond to it.

The findings of Dian Rubanoff, the investigator and an employment law attorney, were released Tuesday.

The 51-page report says Kruse’s actions created a hostile workplace and the fact that his conduct was widely known yet went unchecked left women less powerful than he to suffer, certain their complaints would go nowhere.

Rubanoff found that the Roseburg Republican engaged in a “longstanding pattern of unwelcome physical contact” with women at the Capitol.

Her report is scheduled for consideration by the Senate Conduct Committee on Feb. 22.

Kruse previously acknowledged that he had touched women but said the contact wasn’t sexual.

Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek issued the following statement in response to the report:

“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.

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.”