Politico: After Spartz dubbed House's 'worst boss,' former staff detail toxic work culture
Just days after winning an uncontested primary election, a Politico report revealed an "unhealthy" work environment coupled with high staff turnover in Rep. Victoria Spartz's office.
According to the nonpartisan website Legistorm, Spartz, a Republican representing Indiana's 5th district, had the highest staff office turnover in the House of Representatives in the fiscal year 2021. This put her at the top of the annual "Worst Bosses" list.
Politico interviewed eight people anonymously about Spartz's workplace culture, including former staffers and "Republicans familiar with her office dynamics."
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Those interviews revealed a toxic workplace culture and painted Spartz as a demanding boss with a penchant for hurling insults at her staffers.
Three of the former staffers told Politico Spartz usually avoided firing her aides and instead appeared to make the workplace environment difficult so they would leave on their own.
“Manic is a correct description,” a former Spartz staffer told Politico. “The reason for [former aides] departing after a short time was because of her.”
In a statement to Politico, Spartz said her working style is “not for everyone.”
“I’m grateful to my current and former staff," she said. "I work extremely hard at a pace that is not for everyone. I remain focused on working hard for the people of Indiana.
Three former staffers told Politico that more than once, Spartz compared the writing skills of her aides to elementary school students and declared her children more talented and capable than her staff.
“That’s the common theme: Staffers do their job, and then Victoria comes in saying that they have no idea what they’re doing, that they are morons, calling them ‘idiots,’” one former staffer told Politico. “Senior staff was amazing. That staff was really trauma bonded."
Spartz's chief of staff, Renee Hudson, is departing her office Friday after being with Spartz since January 2021, according to Politico. Hudson, who one staffer told Politico was the "gold standard" for a boss, allegedly protected staffers against the worst of the abuse.
Spartz, 43, is a former state senator for Indiana's 20th district who joined the House of Representatives in January 2021.
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She is the first-ever Ukrainian born person to serve in the U.S. Congress. Her emotional testimony in early March at a GOP-led press conference calling Russia's war tactics "genocide against the Ukrainian people" garnered attention. "
Spartz's office did not immediately respond to IndyStar's request for comment regarding the report.
Contact IndyStar trending reporter Claire Rafford at crafford@gannett.com or on Twitter @clairerafford.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Politico: Victoria Spartz accused of being the House's 'worst boss'
