# Oregon county chair caught flipping off colleague on live stream

> Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington made an obscene gesture during a publicly broadcast meeting, sparking calls for accountability.
- Title: Oregon county chair caught flipping off colleague on live…
- Summary: Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington made an obscene gesture during a publicly broadcast meeting, sparking calls for accountability. Public officials…
- Keywords: kathryn harrington, washington county, oregon, nafisa fai, pam treece, county chair, public meeting, livestream, obscene gesture, unprofessional conduct, apology, news
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/us-news/oregon-county-pol-flips-off-fellow-member-during-publicly-broadcast-meeting
- Published: 2026-09-16T04:59:50+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kathryn harrington, washington county, oregon, nafisa fai, pam treece, county chair, public meeting, livestream, obscene gesture, unprofessional conduct, apology, news
## Chair makes obscene gesture on camera
Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington flipped off Commissioner Nafisa Fai during a livestreamed Tuesday morning meeting after asking her to stop blocking her view.

> Did you see the finger?
## Fai calls out the gesture mid-meeting
Commissioner Nafisa Fai paused the meeting to ask if anyone witnessed Harrington's gesture, but no board members responded and the meeting continued.
## Fellow commissioner demands accountability
Commissioner Pam Treece called on Harrington to apologize, saying she was shocked and disappointed. Treece returned Harrington's campaign contribution and removed her endorsement.

> As leaders, we have to hold ourselves to higher standards.
## Harrington apologizes for unprofessional conduct
The chair issued a statement Tuesday afternoon calling her actions unprofessional and apologizing to Fai, board members, county staff, and the community.

> My reaction was very plainly not appropriate in any instance.
## Pattern of troubling behavior emerges
A 2022 investigation found Harrington's treatment of county employees was abusive. More recently, she allegedly yelled at a staffer in March, leaving them in tears.
## Key takeaway

Public officials are increasingly held accountable for unprofessional behavior caught on camera, with colleagues and constituents demanding higher standards of conduct.