Oregon Public Broadcasting

An ugly intra-party fight has erupted within the Washington State Republican Senate Caucus.

It stems from the formal ouster of Senator Pam Roach. She was bounced from the caucus last month for mistreating staff. Austin Jenkins reports.

Talk radio and the blogosphere are lighting up with Senate Republican dirty laundry as Senator Roach fights back.

She accuses GOP leadership of railroading her. But Senator Dale Brandland, the Republican Whip, responds Roach was kicked out of the caucus after years of reprimands for abusive behavior toward staff.

Dale Brandland: “This kind of stuff has been overlooked for years and we have to stand up and say what's right.”

Roach's most recent reprimand was for a verbal attack on a Senate lawyer during last year's session.

An outside law firm was hired to investigate at taxpayer expense. That investigation concluded that Roach violated Senate harassment and discrimination policies.

Roach declined to comment for this story.