For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Contact: Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – November 10, 2017 – The membership and nurse leaders of the Minnesota Nurses Association condemn sexual harassment or any kind of sexual advance made by anyone, but especially our elected leaders, at the Peoples’ House, the Minnesota State Capitol, or any workplace. Nurses expect a more sophisticated sense of ethical behavior from our trusted representatives and call again for legislators to resign.
“Nurses revere our State Capitol as a dignified monument, just as all Minnesotans do. This is where we conduct work for the benefit of all the people of Minnesota,” MNA President Mary C. Turner said. “We expect all state employees, but especially our elected representatives, to hold their workplace to a higher standard and not treat it as a soap opera set.”
Nurses are shocked and saddened that now two legislators face charges of sexual harassment from multiple, brave female victims who came forward. These charges are not to be taken lightly, and MNA nurses are united that both Senator Dan Schoen and Representative Tony Cornish must step down to deal with charges that will inevitably take time and attention away from legislative matters.
Nurses’ sympathies are with the victims, who face backlash when they come forward. They must often respond to questioning of whether they welcomed or instigated any unwanted attention.
“Many times the victims feel that they did something wrong or now have charges that follow them, not the accused,” Turner said. “Nurses salute the brave women who came forward in this case, and we will support them fully, including not discussing their names or positions in public to further stigmatize them.”
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