State labor investigation finds evidence of discrimination at Multnomah County DA’s office

istrict Attorney Mike Schmidt showed a pattern of elevating men to leadership positions in his office, according to the investigation.
The Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries found “substantial evidence” that the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office engaged in discrimination based on gender and sex, as well as retaliation connected to those complaints. The findings, first reported by The Oregonian/Oregonlive, resulted from an investigation kickstarted by a complaint filed by Carolyn Amber Kinney, an attorney in the DA’s office who resigned in February 2022.

The BOLI investigation agreed with Kinney’s assertion that the DA’s office discriminated against her, and other women practicing law under the county prosecutor, Mike Schmidt, when it comes to promotions into leadership roles.