A former employee of Rep. Troy Nehls, Kevin Countie, has filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee alleging age discrimination. Countie, who served as Nehls’ deputy chief of staff from 2021 to 2023, claims he was subjected to derogatory remarks about his age and saw his job duties reassigned to younger employees.

Background

Countie, a retired Army colonel, began working for Nehls in 2021. He alleges that Nehls and his chief of staff, Robert Schroeder, created a hostile work environment for older employees. Countie claims he was called ‘old timer’ and ‘old man’ by Schroeder and other staffers, and that Nehls frequently introduced him as the ‘old colonel’.

Countie’s complaint also alleges that Schroeder made ageist remarks toward another employee, Tom Goodfellow, who is also in his 60s. Countie claims that Nehls condoned the behavior and took Schroeder’s side when he raised concerns about the treatment.

Investigation

The House Ethics Committee is reviewing the allegation. Countie was interviewed by the committee in June 2025, and the committee has also reviewed scheduling and follow-up emails confirming the interview.

Nehls’ spokesperson, Emily Matthews, disputed Countie’s account, calling it ‘baseless lies.’ However, another former employee wrote a letter to Countie in March 2022, obtained by the Texas Tribune, that appears to corroborate Countie’s allegations.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.