Judge Finds Evidence of Harassment in Wyden Case
A New York judge has found “trustworthy evidence” indicating that the children of Oregon Senator Ron Wyden allegedly targeted his mother’s personal assistant with serious homophobic slurs, including terms like “Little Zest Bunny.” This revelation comes ahead of a wrongful death lawsuit following the assistant’s tragic suicide.
Nancy Bass Wyden, who owns the renowned Strand Bookstore in New York City, has not strongly contested the claims brought forth by her former assistant, Brandon O’Brien, amid disputes over unemployment benefits.
O’Brien, who was 35, took his own life in May after working for Bass Wyden for two years. This, according to a lawsuit filed by Thomas Martezos, the husband of O’Brien’s widow, alleges that the workplace conditions contributed to his suicide.
Previously, Bass Wyden clashed with O’Brien when he sought unemployment benefits after leaving his position at Bass Real Estate LLC in September 2024.
The Administrative Law Judge, Lorraine Ferigno, ultimately sided with O’Brien.
In the lawsuit, Martezos’ attorneys argue that the ruling validated O’Brien’s claims of a hostile work environment.
The judge noted that two of Wyden’s three children, an 11-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son, had sent messages to O’Brien that included derogatory terms. The texts featured phrases such as “Actual skin kitten” and implied that O’Brien should “Order food from me.”
Furthermore, the teenage son referred to O’Brien with slurs, and the judge indicated that Bass Wyden had “strongly warned” her son about this behavior in the past.
These accusations have now become a central part of the wrongful death lawsuit filed by O’Brien’s widow.
Initially, O’Brien had expressed concerns about the inappropriate behavior of the Wyden children. There was even mention of a male au pair alleging similar issues, according to court findings.
As harassment persisted, O’Brien received more homophobic messages, which, according to court documents, contributed to his eventual resignation.
The judge stated that reliable evidence showed O’Brien left his job following his distressing experiences with the Wyden children.
While some of O’Brien’s claims were difficult to recall, the judge acknowledged that the allegations of harassment by his employer’s son were generally accepted.
Moreover, the judge noted that it was clear the employer had reprimanded his son for the homophobic remarks.
Bass Wyden attempted to frame O’Brien’s departure as a voluntary resignation, citing issues of theft he allegedly discovered the night before O’Brien left.
A police report indicated Bass Wyden accused O’Brien of stealing approximately $650,000, but he was never arrested or charged.
O’Brien passed away on May 26, following which the situation was examined more closely.
Despite the police report, the judge indicated that testimonies pointed to O’Brien being aware of potential termination before he left.
The lawsuit from O’Brien’s widow claims that Bass Wyden spread false insinuations about him, which led to his emotional distress.
Efforts to get comments from Bass Wyden’s representatives regarding the labor decisions went unanswered.
A spokesperson for Bass Real Estate described the lawsuit from Martezos as “basic” and “deeply misguided.”
The company’s legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the case, framing O’Brien as a trusted personal assistant who misused that trust and misrepresented circumstances during his tenure.
