Department of Justice Finds Former US Attorney Sexually Harassed Subordinate

A report out Tuesday from the United States Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General found that a United States Attorney violated the law, harassed a subordinate and lied about it to officials when confronted.

While the report does not identify the U.S. Attorney, sources tell Patch that it is Amanda Marshall who resigned last year.

Marshall had been in a relationship with Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin, according to sources who said that when he tried to end the relationship, she continued sending him messages and harassing him.

When Marshall resigned, her lawyer said that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and tried to portray Kerin as the subject of the Department of Justice probe.

On Tuesday, Marshall was contrite.

"The relationship I had with Scott Kerin was wrong," she said in a statement. "It was the biggest mistake of my life. By engaging in that affair, I failed the United States Government, my fellow Oregonians, and most of all, my family.

"I am deeply sorry and will spend the rest of my life trying to make amends."

Marshall went on to say that since she left office she "sought intensive inpatient treatment and have spent every day since working on my recovery. My hope is that my family, Mr. Kerin's family, the USAO, DOJ, and the state can put this to rest and move on in our collective pursuit to do better today than we did yesterday.”

The report out Tuesday found that the unnamed U.S. Attorney had:

• Been engaged in an intimate personal relationship with the AUSA for more than one year;
• Through the relationship, and the multiple harassing communications the U.S. Attorney sent to the AUSA after their intimate relationship ended, violated laws and regulations against sexual harassment;
• Lied to Department officials about the nature of the relationship when first confronted about it;
• Attempted to influence or impede the investigation.

The Justice Department said while it is declining prosecution, it is still considering whether to refer the situation to the "appropriate" bar association.

Marshall's lawyer, Allison Martin Rhodes, says that while Marshall "disagrees with certain of the OIG statements and findings, she is gratified that this chapter is closed."

John Lavinsky, counsel to the Office of the Inspector General, was unable to comment on the report.