During a livestreamed meeting on Tuesday morning, Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington was recorded making an inappropriate gesture towards fellow Commissioner Nafisa Fai. The incident occurred after Harrington interrupted the meeting to ask Fai to adjust her position, claiming it obstructed her view of another commissioner. Video footage shows Harrington pushing her chair back and appearing to give Fai the middle finger while other board members were looking away.
Following the incident, Fai asked if others had seen Harrington's gesture, but no board members responded. Commissioner Pam Treece, who attended the meeting, expressed her disappointment and called for Harrington to apologize to Fai and the community. Treece stated that leaders should uphold higher standards and take responsibility for their actions. She also mentioned that she would be returning a campaign contribution from Harrington and removing her endorsement from her website.
In response to the incident, Harrington issued a public apology, describing her actions as "unprofessional" and acknowledging that her behavior was inappropriate. She apologized to Fai, her fellow commissioners, and the Washington County community for her actions during the meeting. This incident is not the first controversy for Harrington, as previous allegations of misconduct have been reported, including claims of abusive behavior towards county employees. Harrington had previously apologized for her conduct and indicated she would step back from some responsibilities as chair.