Jenny NowatzkeOMAHA (KPTM)- Seven days before officially taking office, there's already a shake-up in mayor-elect Jim Suttle's staff. In the Omaha World Herald on Sunday, they called out Matthew Samp, a member of mayor elect Jim Suttle's administration, for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a then 14-year-old Brad Fuglei in 1998.
Monday, Suttle addressed the allegations. "I have said over and over again, I would lead by example, and I expect my staff to lead by example as well. I've asked Matthew Samp to separate from my administration," said Suttle.
FOX 42 spoke on the phone with Brad's dad, Bruce Fuglei, who lives in Montana. He says, his son met Samp on the Internet, and the pair had a two year sexual relationship. Bruce says, his son ended things with Samp after discovering he was involved with other underage boys. Five years later, while Brad was enrolled at Columbia College, he flew back to Omaha and told police Samp had "molested him." Brad took his life one week later, his father says, he couldn't deal with the publicity.
Some have questioned why Suttle hired Samp without a background check. The mayor elect says it wouldn't have mattered. "A criminal background check wouldn't have revealed the allegations against Matthew Samp," said Suttle. But in the future, Suttle says he will follow city procedures which include background checks for all employees.
Meanwhile, Suttle refused to take questions from the press on Monday; instead, he had his advisors pass out a written statement. "That is the mayor-elect's choice to do so, we want to get back on track as quickly as possible," said Ron Gerard, Suttle's communications director.
Samp released a statement on Monday, saying, quote: "Any allegations against me are false and untrue. These rumors and opinions are only meant to hurt me, my family, and now used to harm mayor-elect Jim Suttle.
Therefore, in an effort to let the important progress of the Suttle administration move forward, I will decline the position of the community chief of staff." Bruce Fuglei says, because his son died, no charges were ever filed against Samp.
Bruce says, "Matthew Samp is a horrible guy, and I hope other kids come out of the wood work." Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has received a complaint from a parent of a 16-year-old boy, saying his son received emails from Samp, and believes the two had a sexual relationship.
