Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Instagram YouTube Pinterest Tumblr VK RSS
Close
Sexual Harassment

284: Merlin Bartz

Cajsa LilliehookLeave a comment

Merlin E. Bartz was an Iowa state senator until defeated in 2012. In 2015, he was elected to the Worth County Board of Supervisors. He was named in the $2.2 million suit against the Iowa GOP caucus and the State of Iowa for retaliating when Kirsten Anderson filed a memo detailing sexual harassment of the women who worked for the caucus by staffers and senators. She was fired seven hours after submitting her memo. She alleged Bartz commented on what women wore, their hair, clothing, and shoes.

"I remember when Mary Kramer was Senate president (1997-2003) and gave a presentation to our caucus about professionalism and the need to treat all staff with respect. That was my motto," Bartz said. "If Kirsten (Anderson) attributed something to me, it certainly was not meant in any negative way." “He would enlighten me on which way he liked me to wear my hair, how I looked, and that the shoes that I was wearing, if they were classy or, in his opinion, appropriate for the Senate," Kirsten Anderson said.
Des Moines Register: Capitol harassment: Here are the detailed allegations against current and past Iowa lawmakers and staff members
The accusation Bartz made comments about the dress or appearance of some female staffers. Where he is now Bartz was defeated in the 2012 election by Democrat Mary Jo Wilhelm. He won a special election in January 2015 to the Worth County Board of Supervisors. Bartz said he believes comments attributed to him may have been in response to what he thought was a casual conversation about appropriate apparel for the Senate floor dress code. "I remember when Mary Kramer was Senate president (1997-2003) and gave a presentation to our caucus about professionalism and the need to treat all staff with respect. That was my motto," Bartz said. "If Kirsten (Anderson) attributed something to me, it certainly was not meant in any negative way." “He would enlighten me on which way he liked me to wear my hair, how I looked, and that the shoes that I was wearing, if they were classy or, in his opinion, appropriate for the Senate," Kirsten Anderson
Des Moines Register: Capitol harassment: Here are the detailed allegations against current and past Iowa lawmakers and staff members

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *