Janelle Bynum, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District, is facing serious accusations of covering up allegations of sexual harassment and assault against a man working with her campaign. An ethics complaint, filed with the state’s Legislative Equality Office, alleges that Bynum failed to fulfill her mandatory reporter obligations after receiving credible information about the alleged actions. The complaint, obtained by Fox News Digital, states that Bynum not only failed to report the allegations but also threatened the individual who had brought them to her attention.
The complaint alleges that Bynum was contacted by an informant during the 2024 primary election with information about a minor volunteer who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man working on her 2022 State Representative campaign. The informant claims that two former staff members had directly reported inappropriate sexual behavior by the field organizer to Bynum, but no action was taken.
“For me, the primary issue here is that all Legislators are mandatory reporters,” the complaint states. “Bynum received credible information regarding one of her campaign staff sexually harassing and assaulting young volunteers, and not only did she not report it, but she also threatened to report the person who blew the whistle.”
In response to the allegations, Bynum’s campaign claims the accusations are baseless. A spokesperson for the campaign stated that Bynum flagged the accusations to FuturePAC, the political action committee that staffed her 2022 campaign, immediately after becoming aware of them following the election. The campaign also pointed to an email exchange between Bynum and the Legislative Equity Office where the office confirmed she was not under investigation.
However, two sources familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital that state police have conducted interviews regarding the complaint and that the accused staffer has continued to be associated with FuturePAC and even held a position with the Oregon State Legislature after the 2022 campaign. FuturePAC, in its statement to Fox News Digital, denied the allegations and emphasized that they follow their union contract agreement with the Campaign Workers Guild, which requires official complaints to be handled through FuturePAC, not individual candidates.
Further complicating the situation are text messages obtained by Fox News Digital between Bynum and former campaign staff members. In the texts, Bynum appears to show little interest in investigating the alleged impropriety against her former staffer. In one exchange, Bynum responds to a warning from a former campaign manager about the staffer harassing women with: “I asked you not to send me anything and I meant that. I really can’t take anything else on my plate.”
This case has drawn criticism from various organizations and individuals, including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and EMILY’s List. While the DCCC spokesperson defended Bynum as a champion for the underserved, a source familiar with the situation pointed out that Bynum’s “dereliction of duty is not on Fahey or anyone else,” referring to the Oregon Speaker of the House, Julie Fahey.
The allegations against Bynum raise serious concerns about her judgment and commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals. As a mandatory reporter, she had a legal and ethical obligation to report the allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Her failure to do so, and the subsequent attempts to downplay the seriousness of the accusations, cast a shadow on her candidacy and raises questions about her suitability for a position of power. The outcome of the ongoing investigation by the Oregon State Police will be crucial in determining the future of Bynum’s campaign and her political career.
