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DETROIT LAKES, Minn. 鈥� A Native American environmental activist group founded by Winona LaDuke must pay a former employee $750,000 in a sexual harassment lawsuit, a Becker County jury decided last week.

Jurors sided on Thursday, March 30, with Margaret 鈥淢olly鈥� Campbell after she filed the lawsuit against Honor the Earth. The jury found the organization based in Ponsford, Minnesota, owed damages for sexual harassment, unpaid leave reprisal and subsequent career harm reprisal.

鈥淲e applaud Molly for refusing to stay silent,鈥� Campbell鈥檚 attorney, Christy Hall of St. Paul-based Gender Justice, said in a statement. 鈥淪he reported the harassment to her boss, but rather than protect her the organization protected her harasser at her expense. But Margaret did not back down. Her lawsuit, and the jury鈥檚 findings, are an important reminder of the responsibility every employer has to end workplace harassment and abuse.鈥�

The lawsuit filed in 2019 laid out sexual harassment allegations against Campbell鈥檚 co-worker, Michael Dahl, and how LaDuke and other Honor the Earth leaders ignored the reports in 2014 and 2015 and retaliated against Campbell.

Campbell started working for Honor the Earth in 2009. Dahl, who had established himself as a spiritual leader, made 鈥渋nappropriately sexually charged comments鈥� to Campbell, the lawsuit claimed.

For example, Dahl told Campbell it was inappropriate to wear a tank top when she was doing garden work for Honor the Earth, adding that it was 鈥渘ot men鈥檚 fault if they stared at her when she was dressed that way,鈥� according to a civil complaint attached to the lawsuit.

When Campbell complained about the comments Dahl made to her and other women and girls, LaDuke said, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just how Michael is,鈥� according to the complaint. In response to another report of inappropriate comments Dahl allegedly made to Campbell in front of colleagues during a retreat in British Columbia, LaDuke told Campbell that Dahl had 鈥渧erbal Tourette鈥檚,鈥� implying he couldn鈥檛 be held responsible for what he said, the complaint said.

Campbell reached out to other Honor the Earth leaders about her personal concerns and concerns for others. At least one board member reprimanded Campbell for making the reports, the lawsuit alleged.

On Feb. 4, 2015, Honor the Earth placed Campbell on unpaid administrative leave, the complaint said. She resigned two days later.

LaDuke told Campbell in an email to 鈥渟tay quiet鈥� about her allegations, saying it could be grounds for a defamation lawsuit, according to the complaint.

In an open letter to LaDuke and Honor the Earth, Campbell and 40 other community members asked the organization to take action and create victim-centered policies for dealing with complaints, the lawsuit said.

After that, LaDuke sent Campbell a 鈥渃ease and desist鈥� notice, according to the civil complaint. Another letter from LaDuke said Campbell鈥檚 statements were not accurate.

Honor the Earth鈥檚 attorney, Frank Bibeau, argued the lawsuit should be dismissed, claiming that Becker County lacked jurisdiction since the organization is in the White Earth Nation. Those efforts failed.

In a statement responding to the jury鈥檚 decision, LaDuke noted that a 2019 Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation found 鈥渘o probable cause鈥� of sexual discrimination or punitive action.

鈥淎s we move forward from the court鈥檚 decision, we remain committed to resisting all forms of sexual harassment, violence and assault,鈥� LaDuke said in her statement. 鈥淗onor The Earth is an organization predominantly led by Indigenous women and we will continue our organizational mission to raise awareness and offer support to develop needed financial and political resources for the survival of sustainable Indigenous communities.鈥�

LaDuke, Bibeau and Honor the Earth representatives were not present at the Becker County Courthouse when the verdict was read. A letter from Bibeau to the court said LaDuke was attending a tribal utilities commission meeting on White Earth when the verdict was reached.

Bibeau did not return a message left by The Forum.

LaDuke is an enrolled member of the Ojibwe Nation and founded Honor the Earth in 1993 to create awareness and support for environmental issues that impact Native Americans.

LaDuke, who also acts as the co-executive director for the organization, ran for U.S. vice president as a Green Party candidate. She has played a role in protesting the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline that crosses northern Minnesota, including near the White Earth Nation and into the Fond Du Lac Reservation.

LaDuke also regularly writes opinion columns for Forum Communications Co. that are published in The Forum.