Condon deserves scrutiny

Regarding the Dec. 6 Lance Johnson letter, “Move on, Spokesman-Review”: Johnson assumes that Monique Cotton’s accusations against former Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub for sexual harassment are true. Unless Mayor David Condon conducted an investigation, who knows what happened?

Does the accused have any rights? Don’t other employees working under Straub deserve an investigation? If harassment took place, the other employees need protection from him, too. Straub was reassigned to another city job. What about the employees in that department? Since when do we say to an alleged victim, “You say you were harassed, so it must be true. Why don’t you just take this other job and here’s more money, too”?

This behavior implies that Condon believed Cotton’s allegations, but didn’t protect others. The mayor had a legal obligation to immediately investigate Cotton’s complaint. Condon’s behavior demonstrates he doesn’t take the safety of all of his employees seriously.

Keep up the good work, Spokesman-Review. When city officials don’t follow the law, I want to know about it so I can make an informed decision when the polls open. The mayor better get an attorney, not only for Straub’s lawsuit but for an investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Patti Livingstone

Spokane