A mayor in Minot, North Dakota, resigned this week after reportedly accidentally texting the city attorney a video of himself masturbating.
This past January, Stefanie Stalheim, city attorney of Minot, North Dakota, opened up her phone and was startled to find she had been sent an explicit video of her city’s mayor, Tom Ross, masturbating on camera. The text message reportedly came just after the two city officials finished a phone call in which they discussed the suicide of a police officer who had been under investigation, according to the Minot Daily News.
Two weeks later, Stalheim filed a formal complaint against Ross, citing sexual harassment, calling his actions “reckless” due to his role as mayor and his “increased visibility, responsibility, and trust.”
“He knew the risk he was taking by engaging in such behavior,” the complaint said.
Ross, however, maintained that he sent the video by accident and even asked her not to open the video and delete it immediately. He claims that he meant the video for his girlfriend.
“Noting that he regrets the incident itself, Ross also expressed a desire for the matter to be conducted internally, not publicly. He added that he felt as if he’s had a good track record with others in the workplace and has never sexually harassed anyone at work,” noted PEOPLE.
“The investigation into Ross’ behavior concluded that his actions met the city’s parameters defining workplace harassment,” it added.
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