Tom DeWolf apologizes for behavior

As rumors boiled in Deschutes County government offices, Commissioner Tom DeWolf issued a statement to the media last week acknowledging “that in the fall of 2003 I did conduct myself inappropriately in an incident involving a female Deschutes County employee. My conduct towards this person was uninvited and unwelcome to her. The incident took place in a crowded restaurant during a dinner attended by 20 to 25 people.” DeWolf said the incident, which reportedly took place in Eugene, was resolved through county personnel procedures to the satisfaction of the woman involved. He also said the statement was approved by the woman involved.

The episode surfaced during a county investigation into alleged sex discrimination in the Juvenile Justice Department.

“This began as an investigation into three or four things in the juvenile department,” DeWolf told The Nugget.

He declined to discuss how the 2003 incident might relate to that investigation.

“It would be speculation on my part,” he said.

DeWolf said that he felt he had to make a statement after word of the incident began to circulate in county offices.

“Rumors were making things very difficult at my office and I’m sure at the juvenile office,” he said. “My intention was to take responsibility for my stupid action, my inexcusable action, as well as to do everything in my limited power to protect the woman involved. And that was at her request.”

DeWolf, citing the woman’s privacy, said he could not further characterize the nature of the incident.

Commissioner Dennis Luke said that “county procedures were not followed” in the incident. He argues that, instead of going by personnel grievance guidelines, a stricter standard of a county non-harassment policy should have been followed — even though Luke acknowledges that the non-harassment policy does not apply to elected officials.

“This involved a county employee who is covered by the policy,” Luke said. “It should have been reported and dealt with within the county framework.”

He said that “there very clearly is an ethical requirement” to follow the stricter policy, even if it is not legally required.

Luke confirmed that there is an ongoing probe being conducted by the Lane County District Attorney’s Office, which has stated that DeWolf is a “person of interest” in a criminal investigation.

“There is an investigation going on by the Lane County DA and we have not completed our investigation,” Luke said. “After our investigation is completed there will be a report given to county counsel. I am committed to releasing as much of the information in that report as we legally can.”

Although it had clearly been a difficult week for DeWolf, the commissioner said that his troubles did not seem to be affecting the workings of the Board of Commissioners.

“Obviously, though this weighs heavily on my heart, my intention this week has been to focus on the important work we have to do,” he said.

“Everybody is taking care of business,” he said. “It’s cordial, it’s professional. I have to believe that’s the way it’s going to continue.”

Will the incident and its fallout diminish his effectiveness?

“I don’t think I’m the person who can judge that, ultimately,” he said.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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