A former legislative aide has filed a sexual harassment complaint against Republican state Sen. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, for inappropriately touching her, according to NPR affiliate KUNC.

The woman alleges that Baumgardner slapped and grabbed her buttocks about four times over a three month period during the 2016 legislative session when she worked at the Capitol, Bente Birkland of KUNC reports.

The woman, who isn’t identified in the article, says each incident happened inside the Capitol building during her workday, often while she was walking through a corridor next to the Senate chamber.

The formal complaint process allows her to remain anonymous, and KUNC says that is her wish due to fear of retribution. Because the incidents were embarrassing, she didn’t tell her supervisors about them, but did confide in two other people who also worked at the Capitol at the time, KUNC reports.

“I just thought this was something you had to push aside,” she said. “They’re like, ‘That’s how he is.’ It’s very well known.”

She says it was when KUNC reported on Nov. 16 that intern Megan Creeden allegedly had many uncomfortable encounters with Baumgardner during the 2016 legislative session that she became outraged and decided to file a formal complaint.

Baumgardner responded to the allegations in a statement sent to Colorado Politics: “Because the reporting process is confidential, I am unable to comment on the specifics of what’s being reported in the press.  I trust in the process – allowing the facts to be thoroughly investigated and all sides to be heard – and ask that we not allow the media to be the final word on such matters.”

Republican Senate President Kevin Grantham and House Speaker Crisanta Duran have scheduled a session of legislative leaders in mid-December to review and possibly strengthen the complaint process.