SALEM — Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, the GOP candidate for governor, called Thursday for the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate to resign their leadership positions amid an official complaint they mismanaged sexual harassment complaints at the Capitol.

In a statement released Thursday, Buehler said House Speaker Tina Kotek of Portland and Senate President Peter Courtney of Salem should step down in the wake of a complaint filed Wednesday.

Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian claims the two did not properly handle allegations by lawmakers, staff, interns and lobbyists regarding sexual harassment in legislative offices.

“For too long, casual attitudes and unprofessional behavior has been accepted and tolerated in the Capitol,” Buehler said in a statement. “This troubling culture knows no party affiliation and exists whether you’re an elected official, lobbyist or student intern.”

Kotek held a rare summer phone-in news conference to discuss the Avakian complaint and rebut Buehler’s comments.

“It’s really unfortunate that Rep. Buehler wants to play politics,” she said. “I have no intention of stepping down.”

Kotek said that sexual harassment was a “personal, not political” issue for her as a woman and leader.

“I stand by how I have been addressing these concerns,” she said.

Courtney did not speak with reporters Thursday, but the day, before he issued a joint memo with Kotek saying they would cooperate with the probe and respond within the required 14 days.

“We welcome additional scrutiny and a thorough investigation related to the commissioner’s complaint,” the leaders said.

In a seven-page complaint to his own agency, Avakian said the problem had existed for years.

“Respondents have permitted a generally hostile environment based upon sex, including but not limited to subjecting multiple individuals in the Capitol to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature,” Avakian wrote.

Avakian’s complaint singled out the top lawyer and human resource director for the Legislature for failing to properly handle sexual harassment allegations. Buehler said both staffers should resign.

Though the Bureau of Labor and Industries Commissioner is officially a nonpartisan office, Avakian is a Democrat who lost his bid to become Secretary of State in 2016.

Avakian is not running for re-election and will leave office at the end of the year. Former Democrat lawmaker Val Hoyle won a majority of the vote in the May primary, negating the need for a run-off in November, and will replace Avakian in January.

Buehler said he was the first Republican lawmaker to call on Sen. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, to resign amid allegations of inappropriate touching, including two female lawmakers.

Kruse resigned from the Senate in February after Courtney stripped him of all committee assignments.

In a highly public move, Courtney had the door to Kruse’s office removed because of recurring allegations that the senator smoked inside, despite a Capitolwide ban on smoking.

Buehler said Avakian’s complaint showed the problem of sexual harassment went beyond one lawmaker in one party.

“It’s clear this problem goes far beyond Sen. Kruse, including Capitol staff and allegations of a ‘bro culture’ inside state agencies,” Buehler said.

Buehler’s inclusion of state agencies extended culpability to his election opponent, Gov. Kate Brown.

“We are in a new era of expectations and responsibility for workplace leadership and behavior — whether in private business, state government or the legislative assembly,” Buehler said. “Those in positions of power who are aware of misconduct and fail to take it seriously forfeit their right and credibility to lead.”

— Reporter: 541-640-2750, gwarner@bendbulletin.com