Fellow Democrat Senator Jill Schupp says she hopes LeVota will do the right thing.
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Nixon’s statement comes after the Wednesday release of an internal Senate investigation into a sexual harassment complaint against LeVota by an intern this past legislative session. The intern said Senator LeVota stated that since she had consumed alcohol, that she should spend the night at his duplex in Jefferson City and not drive back to Fulton.
On Thursday, Governor Jay Nixon and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill-both Democrats-said the allegations called into question LeVota’s ability to serve in office.
Read LeVota’s full statement below. Charles, said he respected LeVota’s decision. In April, the university informed the Senate it was conducting a Title IX investigation. A second intern then came forward claiming LeVota invited her to his apartment and sent her inappropriate texts in 2010.
The Kansas City Star published the details of the report Friday. Paul LeVota made sexual advances toward her. A call to LeVota’s office by Missourinet has not been returned.
She said she told Berry about what LeVota did but begged him to keep quiet.
LeVota absolutely denies that Hembree ever stepped foot inside his residence, but hasn’t explained how she could describe the layoff out of his duplex, the color of the couch and the type of door lock he had. LeVota retaliated against her when she denied his advances. She said he pressured her to have sex and retaliated when she insisted on sleeping alone on his couch.
The student intern, as said by the report, does not have any of these text messages.
LeVota, 47, is married and has two daughters.
“This is a necessary step and is in the best interests of his constituents”, Nixon said Friday night after hearing about the news reports of LeVota’s resignation.
Additionally, Hembree said she cut her hair in February so she would appear less feminine and wouldn’t be treated differently because she is a woman.
Furthermore, the report says the intern told investigators about a time that she attended a lobbyist event in downtown Jefferson City. That same ethics committee was tasked with investigating him. The intern had changed phones since the text messages were allegedly sent. Missouri Southern is investigating that matter. “Sexual harassment must not be tolerated”.
LeVota denied that he engaged in any sexual harassment. The Senate Workplace Handbook stipulates that Dempsey or the committee handle disciplinary action involving senators, but the Senate rules do not outline a way for the committee to do that. The Missouri Constitution allows the Senate to expel members with a two-thirds majority vote.
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“What we need to do is make sure this will never happen again”, Dempsey said. He served as House minority floor leader from 2007 to 2010 and was elected to the Senate in 2012.
