Sen. Riebe says she won't resign, pushes back on misconduct allegations

Editor's note: KSL talk-show host and attorney Greg Skordas represents Sen. Kathleen Riebe in this matter. He will not participate in KSL's coverage or editorial decisions related to this story.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah state Sen. Kathleen Riebe said she plans to stay in her seat after her fellow Democrats voted to remove her from the caucus and called on her to resign.

Riebe, who represents Cottonwood Heights, said she was not given a chance to respond to a report from an independent investigation that Senate Democrats say revealed "workplace harassment and discrimination" and "a pattern of conduct towards others that was likely motivated by race, national origin or ethnicity."

"I take workplace concerns seriously," Riebe said in a statement Wednesday. "I also dispute mischaracterizations that have been described to me. I will not discuss confidential personnel matters or attempt to answer an investigative report that I have not been permitted to review."

No specific details about the alleged misconduct have been provided, and a Senate spokesperson has declined to comment further. But Riebe told KSL she believes it stemmed from concerns she had previously raised about a legislative staffer allegedly doing campaign work for Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla.

Riebe said the legislative staffer has been "distracted" by that campaign work, which has had "negative implications on my ability to serve my constituents."

"That has been my concern for a while," she said.

Escamilla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Riebe's allegations.

Riebe also said the call for her resignation is a political move to prevent her from seeking the Senate minority leader position currently held by Escamilla.

"I see retribution for challenging the current leadership," she said. "On Sept. 10, I made my fellow colleagues aware that I was going to be running for Senate minority leadership and on Sept. 14, I was brought under investigation."

Riebe said she plans to file an ethics complaint and still wants to run for minority leader. A vote is expected Friday.

When did these allegations surface?

News of the investigation and call for Riebe's resignation came in a surprise statement late Tuesday, just before polls closed on a big election night for the Democratic Party in Utah and across the country. Democrats retook control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and they are leading in multiple state legislative races, threatening the GOP's supermajority in Utah.

Riebe was at the door of the Hilton in downtown Salt Lake City on Tuesday night, where Democrats were gathered to celebrate, she told KSL, but she never went inside.

"I chose to stay away so that the Democrats could have the night that they had worked so hard to have and not create a distraction," Riebe said, while questioning the timing of the news release and noting that "a lot of people are disappointed" with how it was issued.

The senator said Wednesday she will not step down from the Legislature, and she remains "committed to Democratic values" and wants to continue representing Utah's Senate District 15.

"I am not going to resign," Riebe said. "Due process matters. I have been proudly elected four times, and I have important work ahead on behalf of my constituents."

Riebe added that she has requested the investigative report and "will use the appropriate internal processes to address my status within the Democratic caucus and ensure due process." She added that she was not invited to meet with her fellow Democrats before they voted to expel her from the caucus.

First elected to the Utah Senate in 2018, Riebe had been serving as minority caucus manager. She ran for Congress twice, including earlier this year in Utah's newly drawn first congressional district. But in April, Riebe exited the race and endorsed former Congressman Ben McAdams, who went on to win.

Contributing: Garna Mejia

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