Recent findings suggest that officials in Oregon may have retaliated against workers who raised objections, likening local residents to “strippers.”
The Mountain Lakes Employment Investigation Bureau led the inquiry, which indicated that Lane County Commissioner David Loveall breached county policy by retaliating against two unnamed staff members along with Commissioner Steve Mokrohiski.
An employee recounted an incident from May 2025 when Raoul, while enjoying coffee and discussing a “community partner,” remarked, “It reminds me of a stripper moving his hands like this on a stripper’s pole.” This comment sparked a complaint from the employee, claiming it included possibly discriminatory language.
Another worker reported that Loveall often used “Christian religious language,” even signing birthday cards with “Kingdom Work.” This employee expressed that they did not wish to engage in religious discussions at their workplace.
Once the complaints were raised, Raoul reportedly advised Mokrohiski to cease his grievances. A troubling quote from Loveall during a June 2025 meeting was noted: “Tell the staff to fuck off. The commissioners can do whatever they want and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”
He also allegedly threatened, “If you don’t solve this, you and I are going to have a problem. I’m going to do everything in my power to get rid of these people.”
According to investigators, Raoul issued Mokrohiski a poor performance review of 1 out of 5, a rate they claimed lacked proper documentation.
Lane County officials shared a summary of the investigation’s findings ahead of a closed meeting set for February 18 to address the situation.
The inquiry drew on interviews with 15 county employees and officials, alongside the review of numerous records.
Investigators determined that Raoul displayed “adverse behavior” toward both the employee and Mokrohiski by withholding information, canceling meetings, and making public criticisms, among other actions.
Mokrohiski commented that while “lively debate and healthy confrontation” are necessary in public service, fundamental standards of professionalism and respect are also crucial, particularly for leaders in the public sector.
The report indicated that Loveall’s actions amounted to “prejudicial conduct” against the employee who filed the complaint.
Mokrohiski expressed hope that the investigation would “bring closure to these matters” and reaffirmed his commitment to leading the community and county staff.
An email from Raoul acknowledged he “could have used a few more ‘radical words,'” but claimed some aspects were exaggerated.
Mokrohiski has previously described Raoul’s conduct as part of a larger pattern of “defiant” behavior, which seemed to emerge soon after he took office in 2023.
In a statement, Raoul rejected the findings, describing them as “one-sided” and influenced by political motivations. He raised concerns about the handling and publication of the findings.
Raoul insisted that the report misrepresented private conversations and noted that the allegations were an attempt to criminalize his use of religious language.
He defended his right to express his faith, asserting that being an elected official does not negate his First Amendment rights.
The situation is complex, especially given a prior $250,000 settlement reached in October 2024 with former City Attorney Erin Pettigrew, who claimed Loveall made derogatory comments about her personal life. Pettigrew resigned in April 2024 over a hostile workplace environment.
Loveall has called the investigation a “partisan attack,” arguing the claims were an effort to sway the upcoming election.
He indicated plans to seek redress against the county for how it handled the matter and looked forward to clearing his name against these unverified accusations.
