Allegations Against Senator Wyden’s Family

A lawsuit claims that the children of U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) led their mother’s personal assistant to suicide through persistent harassment, including homophobic insults and sexually explicit remarks.

According to reports, this situation contrasts sharply with Senator Wyden’s long-standing advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights within Congress. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Superior Court by the assistant’s husband, Thomas Maltezos, targets Nancy Bass Wyden, the senator’s wife, along with her business, Bass Real Estate LLC.

Brandon O’Brien, the 35-year-old assistant, worked for Bass Wyden for two years until 2024, during which he managed various tasks including transporting the couple’s children to school and accompanying them on trips, such as visits to Disney World.

The lawsuit suggests that harassment began roughly three months after O’Brien took the job in 2022. Maltezos alleges that Bass Wyden did not intervene despite knowing about the troubling behavior from her children.

The couple’s teenage son is accused of using slurs against O’Brien, referring to him as “bassoon” and “skin kitten,” and making violent threats against him which included statements about his soccer team. There were reports that Bass Wyden had to use mace on her son to control him, accidentally affecting O’Brien in the incident.

Attempting to dismiss the lawsuit, Bass Wyden’s lawyers described it as “bassed and deeply misguided,” arguing that it was a cover for O’Brien’s alleged serious misconduct.

After resigning out of frustration about a year ago, O’Brien apparently endured further harassment by a businessman who allegedly spread false rumors against him, according to the lawsuit. Tragically, O’Brien took his own life in late May, seven months after leaving his job. Following his death, authorities abandoned any theft allegations that had surfaced, which Maltezos’ legal team asserted were unfounded.

Maltezos’ lawyer expressed how shocking and intrusive the circumstances surrounding the case are, emphasizing that no one should have to face such harassment at work.

Senator Wyden, now 76, has been a member of Congress since 1981 and married Bass Wyden in 2005. The couple resides in Portland, as noted on Bass Wyden’s social media, where she recently visited to reflect on her family’s long-standing business in New York.

A progressive Democrat, Wyden has been a vocal critic of various issues during his time in office, including immigration policies and more recently, health-related matters.

Interestingly, despite the allegations posed in the lawsuit, Wyden was the first U.S. Senate candidate to publicly endorse same-sex marriage back in 1995. He continues to support legislation aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ communities worldwide, including recent bills advocating for sanctions against countries violating their rights.