OLYMPIA — Sen. Pam Roach
has been forbidden from dealing directly with Republican caucus staff members because GOP leaders say she has created a hostile work environment.In a letter sent to the Auburn Republican last week, Senate Republican leaders say Roach has shown a lack of boundaries with caucus-staff members, including making them listen to her recount "past perceived slights" by lawmakers, lobbyists and party leaders.
The letter says Roach asks staff members to state that their loyalties lie with her and are subject to treatment that violates the Senate's prohibition on creating an "intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment."
All contact with the caucus staff must be between Roach's legislative assistant and staff, and Roach must not contact the caucus staff "in person, via phone, e-mail or through any other means," according to the letter.
More:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004293983_roach20m.html?syndication=rssRoach is one of the Legislature's most colorful characters. Hailing from the rural area of South King County, Roach is an expert marksman, a religious conservative, and a hell-raiser. She favors leather bomber jackets, muscle cars, and the political equivalent of a blitzkrieg. Her temper is notorious and hasn't cooled whatsoever during the current session.
On the second day of the session, two of Roach's legislative aides, Tabitha Wells and Dan Honkomp, quit. Speculation about the reasons immediately began circulating the Capitol the juiciest of which claimed that
Roach had pulled a gun on Wells. Roach has denied it entirely. Yet she has also told The (Tacoma) News Tribune that the incident occurred but has been taken out of context and blown out of proportion.
More:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2003-02-26/news/guns-and-butter.phpYesterday we posted about an e-mail sent out by Sen. Pam Roach, lambasting Senate Republican leadership and
accusing Sen. Mike Hewitt of mooning her. We also posted about a subsequent e-mail from leadership, not-quite explaining things. Their take: Roach is upset – and misrepresenting things - because she was reprimanded.
-snip
In March 1998, Roach
threw a televised tantrum on the floor of the Senate because someone had moved a bouquet of roses from her desk. In 1999, another Roach aide abruptly quit, saying she was tired of what she called the senator's
verbal abuse. Later in 1999,
a committee of the top seven Democrat and Republican leaders in the Senate sent Roach a formal letter suggesting she seek professional counseling. -snip
In mid-2000, the Senate agreed to pay $2,500 for therapy sessions for the aide who quit in mid-1999. The aide claimed she needed therapy after working for Roach nearly four years.
...
Originally, Senate lawyers were looking into an allegation that Roach pulled a gun on (former aide Tabitha) Wells, something that has not been confirmed – at least, not publicly.
More:
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics/2008/03/19/what_did_pam_roach_do_we_re_on_itHere's the famous audio clip of Roach complaining on the Senate floor about someone moving her flowers (the Darth Vader music has of course been edited in):
http://homepage.mac.com/gregdewar/dewar/pr.wavAlso, for a little video sample of Roach in action, check this out... start at about minute 28 and watch the next 3 minutes. This is during the hearings on the proposed Impeachment resolution. You can drag the pointer forward on this video and the image will fast forward to catch up if you have high speed Internet:
http://www.tvw.org/media/MediaPlayer.cfm?evid=2008010132&TYPE=V&bhcp=1Also, here's what the misogynistic Roach had to say about Darcy Burner running for Congress with a small child at home:
"I got her mailer, with the photo of her and her son," said Republican Pam Roach, a 16-year veteran of the state senate and a Reichert supporter, whose legislative district overlaps part of the southern portion of the congressional district. "My reaction was: ‘If you’re elected, when are you going to spend time with your child?’ She has one baby; will she have two or three more?" People in the district, Roach said, demand full-time representation.
"My reaction was ‘why don’t you just take care of your child and grow up a bit and then think about running for office?'"
More:
http://hominidviews.com/?p=507There is just so much more, but you get the idea. Have fun and let us know how it goes!!!