Executive staffer describes Nygren as ‘a strong president’: Part II
WINDOW ROCK – The president’s administration isn’t wielding toxic masculinity as a weapon. And his male staffers don’t use gendered attacks, said George Hardeen, the president’s spokesman.
Hardeen said the president’s office isn’t contaminated with toxic masculinity.
“We probably have more women working there than guys,” Hardeen said.
A few short-tenure Nygren appointees described how some of the Nygren Administration’s women staffers experience violence and abuse, from sexual assault to sexual harassment, and are dealing with physical and emotional effects.
Hardeen said that’s not true.
When asked about the sexual harassment report written by a receptionist who worked for the president’s office, Hardeen said the man, Eric Treviso, who the receptionist mentioned in the report, was only trying to ask the receptionist on a date.
“When this came to the president’s attention, he (Treviso) was released immediately,” Hardeen said. “This was months ago. Because this was not appropriate, it was turned over to criminal investigations. We’ve not received any report since. We are just waiting for an outcome from the police department.”
Hardeen said had this been more serious, he’s certain the president would have heard back from the Navajo Nation Police Department by now.
“But we have not,” Hardeen said. “When (the receptionist) left, she said she was leaving voluntarily. (The receptionist) needed to take care of (their) grandfather, (they) were the only caregiver for him and (the receptionist) returned to (their) previous job at a restaurant in Gallup.”
A few former Nygren staffers say some of the president’s staffers have inappropriate behavior and at least three women were given pay increases to keep quiet.
“There was none,” Hardeen said of inappropriate behavior and there were no pay increases to keep quiet. “President Nygren said, ‘No one got a pay increase.’”
As for the Nygren’s Administration’s “excessive” travel across the country, it’s reported by the president’s media team.
“Every time the president travels, we write about it, we post about it,” Hardeen said. “We tweet about it. We put it into reports. This is the first time someone is referring to it as ‘excessive.’”
“He is new,” Hardeen said. “He needs to establish connections with governors, Congress people, and federal officials. He will often go to Washington, D.C., on the red-eye, have a full day and return.
“It’s not as if he’s doing anything than what’s on his schedule,” Hardeen said. “We have talking points, we have information that we prepare for him. And that’s what’s he’s doing, whether it’s testifying before Congress, attending a meeting with Interior departments or officials.”
When asked if Nygren is focusing too much on urban issues at the expense of his duties to the Navajo Nation, Hardeen said “that is his duty to the Navajo Nation.”
Read the full story in the Dec. 7 edition of the Navajo Times.
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