Judge Finds Credible Evidence Wyden’s Children Harassed Wife’s Assistant Before Suicide, in Unemployment Case

A New York administrative-law judge on Wednesday found credible evidence that two of Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden’s children harassed their mother’s personal assistant with homophobic slurs before the assistant’s death earlier this year, a finding tied to a dispute over unemployment benefits. Judge Lorraine Ferrigno issued the decision on Feb. 28, ruling in favor of Brandon O’Brien in his bid for unemployment benefits after he resigned from Bass Real Estate LLC in September 2024. The decision also intersects with a wrongful-death suit filed by O’Brien’s widower, Thomas Maltezos, alleging a hostile workplace and harassment by Wyden’s children.

According to Ferrigno’s findings, two of Wyden’s three children — a then-11-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son — texted O’Brien with messages that the judge described as homophobic slurs, including phrases such as “actual zest kitten” and “can you please order me food my little zest bunny.” The teenager’s messages referenced slurs such as the f‑word at times, and Bass Wyden said she strongly admonished her son after those exchanges. The judge noted that while Bass Wyden could not fully recall every detail of O’Brien’s allegations, there was little disagreement that the employer’s children harassed O’Brien and that the employer condemned the behavior. The administrative ruling centered on whether O’Brien voluntarily left the job in the wake of those interactions and what that meant for his unemployment claim.

The ruling states that O’Brien finally quit on Sept. 30, 2024, after receiving a homophobic text message from the teenage son of his boss, following a series of prior incidents with the children. Ferrigno wrote that the credible evidence established O’Brien “voluntarily separated from his employment after he received a homophobic text message from the teenage son of his boss after experiencing prior incidents with the children and nothing changed.” The decision also addressed Bass Wyden’s counterclaim that O’Brien left because he believed he was about to be fired for theft, including credit-card fraud. But Ferrigno concluded there was no testimony or evidence demonstrating that O’Brien knew he faced imminent termination.

O’Brien, 35, died by suicide in May, months after leaving Bass Real Estate LLC. Maltezos’s wrongful-death suit alleges that the harassment and hostile workplace contributed to his death. Authorities previously reported that a police file accused O’Brien of theft totaling about $650,000, but he was never charged. O’Brien’s death was recorded on May 26, closing the case from a police perspective, while the civil case against Bass Wyden and the family continues.

The judge’s findings have since been cited by Maltezos’s lawyers as support for their allegations of a hostile environment. Bass Wyden’s representatives have described Maltezos’s lawsuit as baseless and have indicated they will pursue motions to dismiss the case. In a brief statement, the Bass Real Estate team described O’Brien as “someone who misrepresented his role and abused the trust placed in him” and said the company would continue to defend itself against the claims. An email request for comment to Bass Wyden’s representative was not returned.

The decision comes as a standalone labor-case in New York state administrative courts, but it overlaps with public interest due to Wyden’s status as a U.S. senator and the profile of Bass Wyden, who runs a high-profile business with ties to New York’s Strand Bookstore. While the labor ruling concerns a private employment dispute, its disclosure of the alleged harassment by the senator’s children has drawn attention to how personal and family dynamics can intersect with employment law and civil litigation.

Experts say the case underscores the evolving ways in which administrative decisions can affect reputations and civil litigation, particularly when high-profile figures are connected to parties in a dispute. The record also highlights how employers and employees navigate harassment allegations, the credibility assessments courts make in such contexts, and the boundaries between personal family matters and professional responsibilities.

As the civil case continues, observers will watch for any further statements from Bass Wyden’s team and for potential developments in the wrongful-death action. The broader political implications will likely depend on how the judge’s credibility determinations are viewed in the context of Wyden’s public role and the ongoing litigation surrounding his family’s business interests.