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House committee to investigate Missouri Department of Corrections over harassment claims

St. Louis Public Radio | By Marshall Griffin,
Marshall Griffin
Published January 25, 2017 at 6:15 PM CST
Willis Ryder Arnold | St. Louis Public Radio

A special legislative committee will look into allegations of harassment and discrimination within the Missouri Department of Corrections.

The investigation follows a report by The Pitch, a Kansas City-based, weekly newspaper, that from 2012 to 2016 the state paid $7.5 million to former employees in settlement payments and court judgments. 

The employees alleged in lawsuits that they had been sexually harassed by supervisors and co-workers, and threatened with retaliation for filing complaints about the abuse.

"The harassment that has been uncovered within the department is completely unacceptable and cannot be tolerated," House Speaker Todd Richardson said in a written statement. "With a new governor and a new department director, I am confident we will see positive changes within the department, but the people of Missouri still deserve answers as to how this kind of environment was allowed to exist."

Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Frankford, will chair the House subcommittee on Corrections, Workforce Environment and Conduct.

Credit Willis Ryder Arnold | St. Louis Public Radio

"We will be calling in different people to testify; our whole mission will be to review our policies and procedures on how these things are handled from a work environment standpoint," Hansen said. "Nobody should have to work in a hostile work environment, so our goal [is] to review what procedures we have in place and what changes we need to make this work environment the way it should be for all employees in Corrections."

Among those who are scheduled to testify is acting Corrections Director Anne Precythe, Gov. Eric Greitens' choice to head the department. Hansen also plans to call former employees to testify.

"After we're done, our job will be to make recommendations to the speaker and the new director on what we think they should do," Hansen said. "Then they can take our recommendations and that information that we gather and act on it."

The committee will not have the authority to subpoena witnesses or indict anyone of wrongdoing.

So far, there are no plans to call former corrections director George Lombardi to appear before the committee. He resigned this month.

No meetings have been scheduled yet for the new committee.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri News
Marshall Griffin
Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
See stories by Marshall Griffin
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.