Ethics complaint against Spokane mayor dropped

SPOKANE — The Spokane chapter of the National Organization for Women is dropping its ethics complaint against Spokane Mayor David Condon.

That’s in exchange for becoming part of a new task force to strengthen the city’s harassment, hiring, training and advancement policies.

City leaders say the task force will be formed in the next 30 days.

The local chapter of NOW filed the complaint against Condon alleging dishonesty in his answers to the media about sexual harassment claims against former Police Chief Frank Straub.

Condon told reporters in September 2015 there hadn’t been any sexual harassment claims “lodged” against Straub. Public records later showed Monique Cotton, a former police spokeswoman, had spoken to the mayor months before about alleged inappropriate conduct. Straub was later forced out of office.

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