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In an astonishing moment, an Oregon lawmaker was caught on camera flipping off a colleague at a meeting earlier this week.
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lawmaker → see → meeting
During a seemingly normal public discussion, chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners Kathryn Harrington snapped at board member Nafisa Fai, telling her to 'stop getting in the way of my sight line' as she attempted to talk to another colleague.
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she → snap → colleague
The tension continued to build.
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tension → continue → ?
Despite Fai adjusting her seat, Harrington suddenly let her middle finger fly when the two locked eyes across the table.
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two → adjust → table
Fai pointed out the incident to the rest of the board and after a video of the meeting went public, the rude gesture sparked backlash.
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gesture → point → backlash
Three members of the governing board now urged Harrington to resign.
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members → govern → Harrington
Commissioners Jason Snider, Jerry Willey and Pam Treece released the statement Thursday evening, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
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OregonLive → release → statement
Fai did not sign on to the statement.
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Fai → sign → statement
The three county board members said they want to bar Harrington from overseeing meetings and revoke her access to non-public county buildings.
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they → say → buildings
On top of that, the group said they would replace her as the board's liaison to county staff and bar her from meeting in person with county employees.
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they → say → employees
Chair Kathryn Harrington flipped off her colleague by telling her to get out of her sight line and showing her the middle finger in a public meeting of the Washington County governing board
Harrington was previously investigated for unprofessional conduct with her staff, reportedly leaving some in tears
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Harrington → flip → tears
We recognize that these actions are serious and unprecedented, but we feel they represent a measured and appropriate response to the level of harm caused and the need to protect others,' the three commissioners said in the statement.
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commissioners → recognize → statement
'It is our genuine desire that Chair Harrington will understand the situation similarly, and will therefore support our approach.
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Harrington → understand → approach
The soonest the board could vote on the proposal is October 1.
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board → vote → proposal
Harrington's term ends January 3, and she is not seeking reelection, The Oregonian/Oregon Live reports.
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Oregonian → end → reelection
The board members also asked Harrington to reduce her compensation to only payments supporting her medical and dental insurance.
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members → ask → insurance
Harrington previously issued a public apology saying she was 'stepping back' from her duties as chair effective immediately but would resume her work 'in time,' according to The Oregonian/OregonLive.
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she → issue → OregonLive
'I formally and personally apologize to Commissioner Nafisa Fai, my other fellow district commissioner board members and the community for my unprofessional response,' Harrington wrote.
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Harrington → apologize → response
I should not have behaved in such a hurtful manner.
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I → behave → manner
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Nafisa Fai (left) was the victim of the attack and labeled Harrington's behavior as inappropriate and unacceptable
The Oregonian/OregonLive further revealed that Harrington was being investigated for her previous treatment of county employees.
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Harrington → label → employees
Outside investigators deemed text messages that she sent to be 'unprofessional and inappropriate,' but said that did not meet the legal threshold for harassment or discrimination, the report says.
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report → deem → harassment
A more recent report alleged that Harrington yelled at an employee in March, leaving the staff worker crying.
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Harrington → allege → worker
She also made a public apology after the report.
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She → make → report
Harrington faced complaints about her conduct during her time as a Metro councilor from 2007 to 2012 - during which she was accused of 'creating a climate of fear, hostility, anxiety, emotional distress,' Koin 6 reported.
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Koin → face → fear
Fai told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Harrington’s behavior was unacceptable for an elected leader.
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behavior → tell → leader
'I'm proud to have the reputation as a leader that treats everyone with respect and dignity and brings the sense of decorum that voters have a right to expect from their county government,' Fai said.
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Fai → have → government
'Frankly, behavior like this is the equivalent of flipping off the people we are elected to serve.'
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we → flip → people
The Daily Mail contacted Fai, Harrington and the Washington County Board of Commissioners for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
The Aporia
