PORTLAND, Ore. — Records show Oregon Congressman Greg Walden paid $7,000 in a secret settlement with a staff member to resolve the man’s complaints that Walden unfairly cut his hours because of health-related problems.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Thursday that Walden of Hood River settled with Cody Standiford in 2013.
Standiford provided the newspaper with the settlement and complaint documents.
A spokesman for Walden didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Standiford started working for Walden in 2010 after being discharged from the Army because of an improvised explosive device in Iraq.
Standiford’s complaint says he worked as a veteran outreach coordinator but a promotion was rescinded after he missed two weeks of work for chest pains.
He said Thursday that he broke the settlement’s nondisclosure agreement not to disparage Walden but to shed light on the fact that members of Congress spend taxpayer funds on settlements.
Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com
