Amy Klobuchar may have violated ethics rules with the treatment of her staff

[Yosemito]

The New York Times today corroborates a recent article in Buzzfeed citing aides who complained about demeaning treatment by Kobluchar.

‪She was known to throw office objects in frustration, including binders and phones, in the direction of aides, they said. Low-level employees were asked to perform duties they described as demeaning, like washing her dishes or other cleaning — a possible violation of Senate ethics rules, according to veterans of the chamber.

‬

This is what happened to those who went out on parental leave:

Among other concerns, her office’s paid parental leave policy has been described as unusual on Capitol Hill. Two people familiar with the policy said that those who took paid leave were effectively required, once they returned, to remain with the office for three times as many weeks as they had been gone. The policy, outlined in an employee handbook, called for those who left anyway to pay back money earned during the weeks they were on leave.

‪https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/us/politics/amy-klobuchar-staff.html

[jberryhill]

1. "according to veterans of the chamber"

[Yosemito]

3. Your point?

Don't veterans of the Senate know about ethics rules?
Or did your want the journalist to interview rookies of the Senate?

[jberryhill]

6. Can you identify the rules?

One of my sons was on the staff of a US Senator. The things that sometimes needed to be done, needed to be done.

But I'll just ask you:

1. Are these rules written down?

2. Can you cite to the ones in question?

That's not a difficult ask, nor is it an unreasonable one.

[still_one]

13. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Yosemito]

33. Page 196, ethics rules

Under federal law, appropriated funds may only be used for the purposes for which they were appropriated (31 U.S.C. 1301(a)). Funds are appropriated to compensate Senate employees for the performance of Senate duties. That is, Senate staff are compensated for the purpose of assisting Senators in their official legislative and representational duties, and not for the purpose of performing personal or other non-official activities for themselves or on behalf of others.

When you said finding this was an easy task, you were 100% correct.

https://www.ethics.senate.gov/downloads/pdffiles/manual.pdf

[jalan48]

34. +1

[elleng]

51. Thanks.

Backstabbers seem to proliferate around here.

[Volaris]

35. If the Senate still functioned that way, Trump would be living in a pine box,

instead of the White House.

I'm glad it DOESNT work that way (because a republican senate majority would have strung up Obama from the Capitol rafters for Presidenting While Black, mark my words), but just sayin.

At least that Senate was willing to check Executive Power...

[nocoincidences]

2. Why is this dead horse

still being beaten by the media?

Don't they have enough other bullshit to focus on?

I guess not!

[BannonsLiver]

7. Policy is so 20th century, apparently.

This cycle will be exactly like last cycle. I long for the gentille days of the 2000 and 2004 cycles when actual policy somehow made its way into the discussion. We won’t see any of that. The media is as addicted to the horse race narratives as their audience is.

[MineralMan]

21. I think the word you're looking for is gentille, not gentile.

Gentille means gentle and polite. Gentile means someone who is not Jewish.

[BannonsLiver]

23. Thanks!

I’ll be sure and get that straight before I self publish my next book on Amazon.

[True Dough]

54. +1 for the sense of humor

It's best to be gentle with one's self.

[dchill]

53. Or possibly "genteel."

I can find no such word as "gentille."

[The Genealogist]

24. Best get ready

Because there will be months and months of it. If the media has to go back to nursery school to find dirt to dig up on Democrat, they will. We'll hear hour after hour how the candidate pooped their pants in kindergarten, they have panels of experts to mull it over, and there will be very little said about the voluminous evidence of Trump crimes and shenanigans.

[aeromanKC]

4. Hit job on Klochabar

Seems like the GOP is going to try and Franken all the Candidates. They have no standing to throw stones after voting for Trump. They have lost ALL moral standing.

If the Senate slaps Klochabar on the wrist over this so be it. Bring on the debates and let's discuss policies!!

[BeyondGeography]

9. The war on Klochabar must stop

[USALiberal]

37. I want her to say "I've never thrown an object at my staff", really easy if she hasn't. nt

[BeyondGeography]

44. I was joking

“Klochabar” is such a terrible misspelling I just had to. My two cents: her high staff turnover rates don’t lie.

Go Warren!

[USALiberal]

45. LOL!! Got me!. I LOVE Warren!!! nt

[dchill]

55. Klochabar for the win!

I wasn't me! It was that darn Klochabar!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

63. Would seem so... yet, all we hear are crickets.

<chirp> <chirp>


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!

[Yosemito]

10. Did you read about the parental leave policy?

Did you read about the parental leave policy?Is it true that when her staff went on parental leave they were required to pay the money back unless they worked 3x the number of leave weeks upon arrival ?

[Lazy Daisy]

12. I read it differently

I read it that they were required to pay the money back if they left. And gotta say, only seems fair. You take parental leave, get paid for it then when it's time to return you don't? There are people who take advantage, sounds like she wasn't having any of that. Good for her.

[Yosemito]

14. Then why did her team say they will change the language

In the handbook?

Also, you said it’s very fair to get the money back from the employees but her team says they have never asked for any money back from their employees.

[Lazy Daisy]

15. it would be fair to ask for money back

IF they didn't return from maternity leave. Whether they did ask for money back or not wasn't my statement.

[Yosemito]

17. Does any Congress person do that?

Do others have that rule that you wish they had?

[Lazy Daisy]

22. Don't care

If she requires her staff to fulfill a certain amount of time to earn a paid leave (for whatever reason) good for her.
Do you think it's fair to pay a person for leave when they don't return? Essentially they quit on bad faith. You're paying an employee leave to take care of family matters then return to work. They didn't. You want to quit, ask for a severance don't string your employer along letting them think you're returning.

[USALiberal]

38. LOL, nice try! nt

[SaschaHM]

25. I have my issues with Bernie, but even he wouldn't defend...

employers having to work 3x the amount of time they have for parental leave.

Is quitting at the end of your leave a dick move? Yes.

However, claw backs for specific benefits that your employees are entitled to (or should legally be entitled to in a progressive society) are also a dick move.

These aren't days that you build some sort of credit towards having. They're benefits that often taken into account when it comes to determining your salary. They are factored in and in most cases, you don't get a check at the end of the year for not using them.

I like Klobuchar, but she needs to explain her reasoning because this is some capitalist bullshit that we would be protesting if some corporation had in place.

[Lazy Daisy]

40. Bernie has nothing to do with this, we're talking about Amy Klobuchar

And I don't think SHE is wrong on this point.

[Yosemito]

48. You misinterpreted the policy

New CNN article:
"According to the Times report, those who left after returning from leave would be required to pay back the money they earned during the weeks they were on leave."
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/politics/klobuchar-family-leave-policy/index.html

[Lazy Daisy]

50. no misinterpretation

if you quit after a short time, you've still left in bad faith

[marylandblue]

16. I don't think it's legal. Once you earn money, it's yours to keep.

Even if you earned it on paid leave.

[Lazy Daisy]

19. It's legal

If you are paid for leave in advance, the employer has a right to ask for it back if you don't meet requirements.

[leftynyc]

26. I come from a company

that has gotten fucked over by paid maternity leave 4 times in the 17 years I've been here. Women work for a while, get pregnant, go on leave, get paid, come back for a week and quit. I'm a woman also but that's seriously fucked up.

[Yosemito]

27. Klobuchar disagrees

Last edited Fri Feb 22, 2019, 07:51 PM - Edit history (1)

The article says she will revise the requirement.

[USALiberal]

39. 4 times in 17 years????? nt

[Lazy Daisy]

41. yep

And Amy wasn't having it. Good for her, looking out for the purse strings. This isn't her business where the money comes out of her pocket, some one else is paying the bill. Now because someone decided she's just a bad ol' meany for running her office finances frugally she's going to change the requirements. She's being bullied and it's damn wrong.

[USALiberal]

42. Sounds like she has done plenty of bullying also. nt

[Lazy Daisy]

46. maybe

Or maybe this is just a hit piece.

Again, where does she stand on free public college? Climate change? Wall St reform? What's her foreign policy look like?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

68. It sure does.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!

[Yosemito]

49. These women are asked to work 36 weeks afterward

You cited women who allegedly got pregnant and left after a week.
By the way, you must have worked in that company for decades.
What are the odds of running into more than one pregnant woman who allegedly try to scam the system?

[leftynyc]

69. I'm there 17 years

Because the nature of the business - design and nanufacture of soft home goods - bedding, window treatments, bath stuff AND we like to hire right out of the design schools, our people tend to be in the young side. We had two babies born just last week so 4 in 17 years won't bankrupt us but that doesn't make it right. When all the other people in the department happily take up the slack while they're on leave, to come back and then quit is is very demoralizing. It's not a big company, just 75 people in he NY office and it can shake up an entire team.

[Skidmore]

29. Klobuchar

Check your spelling.

[BannonsLiver]

5. Well it appears the Times have found their new catnip.

In 2016 it was “her emails!1” relentlessly from them. This time it’s Klobuchar’s cutlery choices. I would expect nothing lesss from that outfit.

[USALiberal]

43. Bullshit, where are the staff abuse stories about Warren or Harris? Hmmmmm! nt

[BannonsLiver]

57. Easy there sparky. You're coming in a little hot.

Take it down a notch — or 10.

[USALiberal]

70. Sorry! You are correct! nt

[LAS14]

8. She must be close to perfect if this level of flaw gets all this attention! nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

66. No worse than the standard applied to Bernie.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!

[SaschaHM]

11. People are going to shake it off as fake news, but...

that paid parental leave policy is indefensible for any democrat to have in place.

I'd like for her to explain it because while it's not a dealbreaker (Trump is president), it's extremely troubling.

[Garrett78]

18. She can hope this blows over long before the Iowa caucus, which is crucial for her.

[rurallib]

20. Lordy, not this shit again

[leftofcool]

60. Of course it is

"They" fucked over Hillary and the intention is fuck over Amy.

[CrossingTheRubicon]

28. I'd like her even more if she stuck to her guns.

Parents deserve to take paid leave. It is an important societal need.

Those who take benefits and then burn employers are acting in bad faith. All forms of bad faith and cheating undermine support for the social support mechanisms that are so vital to a civilized society.

I'd like to see Amy Klobuchar own this issue. She should go on the offensive with this.

[Yosemito]

30. Too late

The article says she will revise the requirement.

[CrossingTheRubicon]

31. I know. I think she blundered.

She'd nailed the earlier attacks about working people hard, brilliantly in my estimation.

Most Americans don't like it when people rip off the system. We all pay for that the end.

Amy is tough. She should use it. Missed opportunity here.

[marylandblue]

58. I agree with you. In today's politics, you can't back down an inch, it's treated as weakness.

I thought Klobuchar got it before. Now I see she doesn't. Somebody better get it or we'll lose again.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

67. That's what I like to see in a presidential candidate.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!

[mcar]

32. Klobuchar

please correct.

[USALiberal]

36. I want to hear her say "I have never thrown objects at staff", until then, I believe the staff. nt

[Quixote1818]

47. Good point. Agreed. Nt

[50 Shades Of Blue]

52. Ditto.

I also want to hear her deny these other accusations. They're describing some pretty serious - and detailed - mistreatment of people who were subservient to her. That kind of thing does not speak well of anyone's character. It's flat out abusive and punitive. it's a real deal breaker for me.

[True Dough]

56. Yeah, her go to defense has been

I have high standards for myself, my staff and this country. No explicit denials of having thrown anything, even though that accusation was leveled by Buzzfeed (and now the Times).

[50 Shades Of Blue]

71. Her response was certainly lacking! Well, I have high standards for

Candidates I vote for and treating one's underlings like shit definitely violates them!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

64. Then you'll be waiting a LONG time!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!

[apcalc]

59. Eff the Times. But but but....what about her EMAILS??? I hate em.

Times garbage.

[Liberty Belle]

61. Most of this is petty and the items that aren't were from anonymous sources.

While in an ideal world we'd like everyone to always be kind to all staffers and others, many successful presidents were known to have tempers. John Adams once called Washington a "muttonhead." LBJ would try to intimidate people, an obnoxious tactic but it helped him push through the Civil Rights Act. Truman, FDR and Lincoln all showed tempers at times.

I've worked in two state legislative offices where people sometimes rinsed coffee cups etc. as a favor when someone else was busy. If asking someone to rinse a comb that doubled as eating utensil while you're in the midst of a meeting is the worst they can come up with, that shouldn't be a deal breaker.

If she really threw things at people, that's troubling. But the source for that is anonymous, so may not be credible.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

65. How comb she did that?!

[question everything]

62. Still anonymous sources?

If so many left, why don't they come out and spell their grievance??