Dave Bateman, the founder of Keep My Voice, alleges a “political lawyer” involved with Count My Vote is behind a scheme to falsely accuse him of sexual harassment. We now know who the “political lawyer” is, and he is telling UtahPolicy.com a much different story.
Sen. Todd Weiler reached out to UtahPolicy.com on Saturday evening to say he is the “political lawyer” in question and was merely giving legal advice to an employee of Entrata, who claimed Bateman was involved in a sexual relationship with another employee and retaliated when the relationship ended.
Bateman said on social media he will be releasing a voicemail on Sunday night that is “incontrovertible evidence” about the plot against him. He also takes issue with a UtahPolicy.com story from Friday which asked him if he had any evidence to back up his claim.
Bateman has repeatedly alleged lawmakers connected to the “Buckshot Caucus” and Count My Vote are behind a scheme to bring false accusations of sexual harassment against him. He also claims a promise of $1 million was made to his employee for taking part in the plot.
In the comments on the above post, Bateman says he has filed a report with Lehi police. The Lehi police department has confirmed they were contacted by Mr. Bateman on Saturday night, but could not provide details on what was discussed.
Weiler, in his statement, admits he is the person on the voicemail Bateman will be releasing on Sunday night. He also tells UtahPolicy.com he has been a member of the “Buckshot Caucus” since 2012.
However, he says the employee at Entrada is a longtime-family friend, and he was merely trying to help a woman he “believed was being sexually harassed by a superior.”
Here is Weiler’s statement to UtahPolicy.com:
It is my understanding that Dave Bateman will be releasing a voice message that I left with an Entrata employee two months ago.
I have never met Mr. Bateman. A family friend of mine who works for Entrata told several other people and me at a social event on January 20 that Dave Bateman had had an affair with one of her co-workers. When the affair ended, her co-worker’s job hours and duties were changed.
I told my family friend that if her co-worker was interested in pursuing a sexual harassment claim, she should contact an attorney. I was then told that this coworker had already spoken to an attorney in Utah County, but was informed that she didn’t have a case. As an attorney myself, I believed that she did indeed have a case.
I was also informed that the coworker had been invited to accompany Mr. Bateman on a business trip to Europe — and she was conflicted about going.
I left my family friend a voicemail stating that I had found a good attorney who would represent her coworker. I assume that this is the voicemail that Mr. Bateman says he will release tomorrow. I left the voicemail to try to help a woman who I believed was being sexually harassed by a superior at work.
Sexual harassment claims are often unsavory and should be beneath folks’ interest outside of the actual case. I am troubled that Mr. Bateman would release a voice message that confirms he was traveling to Europe with a subordinate as it does not reflect well on Entrata, Mr. Bateman or the woman involved. It could also open up claims of other employees who are not treated the same at work as this woman.
If Mr. Bateman believes that there is something inappropriate about this voice message, I urge him to turn it over to the police.
When asked for a response, Bateman just said, “Sounds like a story a member of Buckshot would dream up.”
