Legislator Will Not Appear Before Committee Investigating Him

<p>A state House of Representatives investigation into whether two members sexually harassed staffers on two separate occasions continues.&nbsp;</p>

Tuesday, January 17th 2017, 6:22 pm



A state House of Representatives investigation into whether two members sexually harassed staffers on two separate occasions continues.  

News 9 was told the investigation would be transparent and bipartisan, but so far it hasn’t been either. Now, one of the two people being investigated is refusing cooperate.  

Rep. Will Fourkiller is accused of harassing a legislative page; a high school student.  

Fourkiller says he won’t testify at the committee because the committee is operating in secret, and because he says he still doesn’t know exactly what he’s accused of.  But he says he does know he didn’t do anything wrong.  

"Absolutely nothing. There was nothing. I did nothing wrong,” Fourkiller insisted. “All I was informed of was that a page had made a statement that I had made her feel uncomfortable, and that was all I heard."

A committee is also looking into allegations that Republican Rep. Dan Kirby sexually harassed a co-worker.  '

She was later given a $44,000, taxpayer-funded settlement authorized by former House Speaker Jeff Hickman.

Hickman said while there was a formal complaint against Kirby, there was not one against Fourkiller.  

“There was an issue that was brought to our attention. It's something that was addressed but it was not anything where there was a formal complaint raised by a staff member or anything official," Hickman said.

Rep. Josh Cockroft, R-Wanette, is heading up the committee. He said there was a formal complaint.  

"We are investigating it as a formal complaint, to make sure that there's a proper process as we go forward," Cockroft said.

Forukiller said he will not appear before the committee. He said, to date, the committee still hasn’t told him exactly what he’s accused of; and if he defends himself, he says he wants it to be in public, not behind closed doors.  

"I want the public to know what happened. That there was nothing that happened,” Fourkiller said. “And that I want my name in an open forum to be cleared."

Democratic committee members have not attended because they refuse to sign an agreement forbidding them from talking about what’s discussed.  

Fourkiller has requested a copy of all paperwork tied to the complaint against him. He said if he receives anything, he will share it with News 9 regardless of what it says.  

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