PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An investigative report has found that the former deputy director of the Oregon Lottery harassed subordinates, tried to have his boss fired and repeatedly attempted to mislead investigators looking into his conduct.
Officials launched an investigation into Roland Iparraguirre after an employee claimed he intimidated and harassed her, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported (https://is.gd/Q0AEim).
Iparraguirre was placed on paid leave in April 2016, but the lawyer and former deputy Portland city attorney claimed he was wronged as a whistleblower. His subsequent complaint led to the firing of then-Lottery Director Jack Roberts. The new director, Barry Pack, kept Iparraguirre on leave.
Iparraguirre resigned from the lottery Aug. 31.
An investigation by Barran Liebman attorney Kyle Abraham into Iparraguirre’s conduct found that he intimidated the employee who accused him of harassment and harmed other subordinates.
According to the report, Iparraguirre chastised the lottery’s human resources director to the point of tears for providing Roberts with advice that Iparraguirre opposed. The report also suggests Iparraguirre was viewed by many subordinates as autocratic and intimidating to a degree that it harmed the agency’s work.
Iparraguirre disputes the findings of the investigation.
“The investigation was very slight and imbalanced and incomplete,” he said.
He said he did go to Roberts’ bosses when he disagreed with personnel decisions, but that ultimately he defends those decisions.
“There is absolutely nothing that I could have or would have done different,” Iparraguire said. “I had an ethical obligation to act the way I did.”
The lottery personnel investigation was completed in August, but only released to the Oregonian/OregonLive on Friday.
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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, https://www.oregonlive.com
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