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On August 1, 2018, Avakian filed a complaint against Senate President Peter Courtney (D) and House Speaker Tina Kotek (D) for fostering a hostile environment and "subjecting multiple individuals in the Capitol to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature." Read the complaint here. The report accused Courtney and Kotek of allowing former state Sen. Jeff Kruse's (R) office to employ student interns despite complaints of sexual misconduct from two legislators. It also said they prevented Avakian's office from assisting women who complained of sexual harassment. Courtney and Kotek responded that the "Legislature will participate transparently in this process. We welcome additional scrutiny and a thorough investigation related to the Commissioner’s Complaint." Kotek released a separate statement asserting that she took "every complaint that was brought to my attention seriously." On August 31, the legislature issued a 35-page response to Avakian's investigation. The legislature's attorney, Edwin Harnden, argued that the investigation was "an attempt to violate the Constitution's strong protection of the separation of powers." Harnden also argued that the Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) did not have the authority to discipline legislative members.
