A state employee has filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Tom Schedler, claiming the elected official has sexually harassed her for years.

Dawn Ross, who works at the Secretary of State's office, accuses Schedler of making unwanted sexual advances, keeping watch of her home and then punishing her for rebuffing his advances.

Her attorney Jill Craft, says Schedler created a "sexually hostile and abusive working environment."

Schedler is separated from his wife. The longtime public official says he takes any allegation of sexual harassment very seriously and can assure the public that he believes in a safe workplace, free from harassment.

Ross claims the harassment dates back all the way to 2007 and continued in 2011 when Schedler hired her as executive secretary when he was named interim Secretary of State in 2011.

The lengthy lawsuit provides examples of alleged sexual harassment and unwanted advances. The suit claims Schedler showed up at the plantiff's door with unwanted gifts and even sex tapes.

The suit also contains an allegation that Schedler approached Ross with a naked photograph of a female and asked her to paint it for him. There are also alleged text messages from Schedler that said she looked sexy today.

The suit also contends that after Ross kept rebuffing his sexual propositions, she was removed of all job duties and was put in a office for eight hours a day with no job responsibilities.

The accuser still works for the Secretary of State's office, but she is no longer Schedler's executive assistant.

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