King County Democrats Chair Bailey Stober at a meeting last month.
King County Democrats Chair Bailey Stober at a meeting last month. WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATIC PCO MEDIA GROUP/FACEBOOK

Six weeks after media publicized allegations that King County Chair Bailey Stober bullied and harassed a staff member, he has temporarily suspended his duties as chair.

Stober named Sharon Mast chair pro tem at a meeting Tuesday night. Prior to the meeting, he posted a long and defensive statement online disputing the allegations. At the meeting, he was more apologetic than in his statement but maintained that "many" of the allegations against him are untrue.

A former King County Democrats employee says Stober harassed and bullied her and party volunteers. An internal investigation by three party vice chairs released internally in early February made several allegations, including that Stober called the former employee a "stupid cunt" and "stupid bitch."

Stober fired that employee, Natalia Koss Vallejo, in January. That came after someone else in the organization filed a complaint about Stober's behavior, but Stober denies the firing was retaliatory. He says he fired Koss Vallejo over a separate incident during which she poured coffee on a car that had a hat inside featuring the logo for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Party members, including the organization's treasurer, have also accused Stober of mismanaging money and overspending on travel and entertaining. Stober has denied the allegations of harassment as well as financial mismanagement.

In his online statement this week, Stober gave his version of the firing and his contact with other organization leaders about it. (Though a former vice chair disputes his characterization.)

He also denied calling Koss Vallejo a "stupid bitch" or "stupid cunt" or pressuring her to drink. Stober transcribed a text exchange he says took place between him and Koss Vallejo. In the exchange, the two texted back and forth about whether Koss Vallejo would meet Stober at a bar to celebrate her birthday. In the exchange, Stober repeatedly asked her to come out. He wrote "Nah bitch you said 10" and called her a "lying sack of shit."

"This was a conversation between two people who clearly thought of each other as friends," Stober wrote. "Nobody was called a derogatory name in an aggressive or direct way. The word 'bitch' was used as it had been in several other references, from the staff to myself as 'bitch please' like a slang term for 'get outta here.'"

At the meeting, Stober temporarily suspended his duties but did not resign. He read a brief apology and asked party members to read his online statement. "Many of the allegations against me are untrue," Stober said. "However some of them are true."

"When I was elected county party chair at age 25, I knew I still had growing up to do. Over the past year, a combination of volunteering 30 to 40 hours a week in addition to working a full time job, stress, alcohol, health issues, immaturity, and my mouth made it more apparent that my struggle continues," Stober said. "I’ve seen first hand that this previously stated combination is dangerous and is especially dangerous for a leader who has had trust and authority placed within him. I would like to take this time to apologize."

Directing an apology to Koss Vallejo, Stober said, "I understand the stress and pressure I put you under, but I don’t understand how it felt to you and how impactful it was. I am sorry for my actions. I am sorry for my words. I am sorry that you are now in a position where your life is being discussed in public." (I've reached out to Koss Vallejo for comment and will update this story if I hear back.)

Last month, the King County Democrats voted to conduct a new investigation into the allegations in which Stober would be allowed to select two members of the investigation group. After that plan fell through, the group voted to appoint one person to do the investigation and report back. A majority of members of the group's executive board also voted in favor of motions calling on Stober to step down and scheduling a vote on his suspension.

On April 8, the organization will conduct a "trial" about the allegations against Stober. During that process, each side can make arguments and introduce evidence. That trial will require a 25 percent quorum of the group's 1,348 precinct committee officers (PCOs). Mast, the temporary chair, will preside over that trial. Afterward, the group's executive board will make findings and recommendations. Then, PCOs will vote on whether to remove Stober.