A lawsuit has been filed against Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls by a former congressional staffer, who alleges that he was compelled to resign from his position due to a “hostile work environment.”
Alex Chadwell, a gay individual who joined Nehls’ team in January 2021, has come forward with allegations against the representative, his chief of staff, and special adviser. According to Chadwell, he has been subjected to frequent instances of homophobia, including derogatory comments such as “gays go to hell” or “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” The chief of staff even went as far as advising him not to interact with gay constituents.
According to multiple outlets, the lawsuit alleges that the Representative, his Chief of Staff, and his Special Advisor consistently made derogatory remarks about the gay community, specifically targeting the Plaintiff. The lawsuit argues that the overall hostile environment was so severe and pervasive that it significantly impacted the Plaintiff’s employment conditions, ultimately leading to their constructive termination.
One time, Chadwell informed chief of staff Robert Schroeder about his contraction of COVID-19. Allegedly, Schroeder responded by saying that Chadwell must get COVID frequently because he was “kissing a lot of boys.”
According to the lawsuit, Nehls also expressed “hostile” remarks towards LGBTQ+ individuals. For example, when he noticed an employee watching the reality show “Queer Eye,” he stated, “we do not support these people.” Chadwell, who is gay, stated that Nehls inquired about his sexuality and subsequently isolated him, even going to the extent of completely disregarding his work messages.
According to Chadwell, he believes his sexual orientation played a role in being overlooked for a promotion, even though he was the most qualified candidate. Instead, he was assigned to train the new hire, a heterosexual man, who was ultimately given the position and took over Chadwell’s responsibilities. Chadwell claims that Schroeder later informed him that there was no room for advancement or development within Nehls’s office due to their differing “lifestyles.”
According to Chadwell, he initially asked for a transfer to the congressman’s office in Richmond, Texas, in May 2021 to get away from the bigoted remarks. However, due to the threats and intense pressure he faced, he ultimately decided to resign in October 2023.
According to the lawsuit, Mr. Chadwell expressed his deep offense and disturbance over the fact that the Office persistently isolated, ostracized, and harassed him because of his sexual orientation until his last day in the Office.
