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BY JOE TYRRELL

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

An Oregon official has upheld an administrative complaint of sexual harassment against Michael Ruppert, subject of the new documentary "Collapse."

Brad Avakian, commissioner of the state Bureau of Labor and Industries, found Ruppert committed egregious harassment of a one-time employee of his defunct investigative newsletter, Into the Wilderness, in 2006.

Avakian awarded Lindsay Gerken $2,713 in back wages, saying Ruppert fired her after she complained about his advances. The commissioner trumped that with $125,000 in damages for "emotional and mental suffering."

But it is unlikely that Gerken will collect, since hearing officer Allan McCollough ruled the business was disbanded and Ruppert as an individual is not liable as its successor. A bureau spokesman did not respond to a request for elaboration on Avakian's statement that the agency will "pursue every penny" of the fine.

The attention-getting penalty comes as Chris Smith's documentary on Ruppert, a former Los Angeles policeman who predicted the current economic downtown, is generating buzz at film festivals around the world. Ruppert argues that oil production has reached its peak and will steadily decline, with long-term implications for the global economy and short-term illustrations in military and foreign policy.

Among other things, Avakian cited testimony that one night while they were working late in their Ashland, Ore., office, Ruppert showed up at Gerken's door "wearing only his underwear and a smile." Gerken, a single mother just starting her career, was "shocked" and "frightened" by Ruppert's attentions during her three months on the job, according to the order.

"Sexual harassment of this magnitude is a brazen violation of the law and the damages ordered here will clearly show BOLI's commitment to aggressively enforcing the law," Avakian said.

In postings in his blog, Ruppert characterized the bureau's approach as malicious and said the findings "mischaracterized or ignored" evidence and testimony presented on his behalf. For example, the order calls one of Ruppert's witnesses "vain and boastful" because the man introduced himself using the honorific "Doctor" although his Ph.D. is in English literature.

Shortly after Gerken's firing, Ruppert's business was broken into and his computers destroyed, forcing him to halt publication.

Avakian noted that Ruppert initially blamed Gerken, but subsequently has suggested government agencies may be responsible because of his critical stories, particularly one revealing the "friendly fire" death of former NFL player Pat Tillman while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.

In the meantime, though, Ashland police had ruled out Gerken as a suspect, and also cleared Ruppert of rumors that he staged the burglary. The case remains unsolved.

Ruppert said he hoped to file an appeal, but his financial difficulties may prevent it.

See the order here, in PDF format.