California Republican’s chief of staff rebuked after sexual harassment complaint

The chief of staff to a Republican lawmaker was reprimanded by the California Assembly speaker on Wednesday after a workplace investigation substantiated claims that the aide sent “unwelcome messages of a sexual nature and solicitations” to an unidentified person.

Justin Turner, a former aide to Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, was rebuked in a Nov. 4 for allegedly asking an individual “on more than one occasion” about his or her “dating life” and had sent multiple inappropriate and unwanted messages.

It’s unclear whether the person who filed the complaint is a legislative employee.

The Legislature’s Workplace Conduct Unit reviewed documents and interviewed witnesses related to the allegations and determined the complaints were substantiated and that Turner had violated policy.

“Based upon these findings, I have determined that your conduct as found by the Panel violated the Legislature’s Policy on Appropriate Workplace Conduct and such conduct is detrimental to the professional environment of the Assembly and to its employees,” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon wrote. “Conduct of this nature cannot, and will not, be tolerated in the Assembly. Based upon these findings and Policy violations. I have instructed Assembly Rules Committee, Human Resources to take appropriate remedial action designed to prevent similar policy violations by you in the future.”

Turner did not return requests for comment. Mathis called the investigation into Turner a “political attack.”

This is not the fist occasion Turner has faced accusations of unprofessional behavior.

A former Mathis staffer also alleged in a 2018 lawsuit that she faced “severe sexual harassment and bullying” and “overt” sexism from the Assembly District 26 lawmaker and Turner, then a legislative director. The case has not resolved, according to court records.

The Assembly Rules Committee released the records detailing the latest investigation’s findings Friday. After the Me Too movement swept through the California Capitol in late 2017 and early 2018, when three lawmakers resigned amid investigations into alleged sexual harassment, the Legislature agreed to begin releasing documents detailing investigated and substantiated claims.

This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "California Republican’s chief of staff rebuked after sexual harassment complaint."