Ethics Complaint Against House Speaker Dismissed

Today, the House Ethics Committee dismissed a complaint against the new House Speaker, saying it has no jurisdiction over sexual harassment allegations.

Representative Brian Kelsey of Memphis brought up a 2-year-old incident after fellow Republican Kent Williams was elected speaker with help from Democrats.

Kelsey charged that Williams lied when he denied sexually harassing anyone or being reprimanded for such behavior.

In 2007, Mt. Juliet Republican Susan Lynn complained privately that Williams had approached her and made comments that made her feel uncomfortable. Instead of filing an official complaint, she asked for help from the Republican leadership, which set up a meeting to discuss the issue.

Today, Nashville’s Beth Harwell, a senior Republican in the House, referred to that meeting, when she moved to dismiss the ethics complaint.

“What we’re saying is, that an apology was offered, an apology was accepted, and at that point, Representative Lynn had the option of filing a formal complaint and chose not to do so. That was two years ago.”

Representative Kelsey says he filed the complaint without consulting with Lynn, who has repeatedly said she wanted the issue to remain private. Kelsey says the ordeal is causing Lynn great stress, but he stood by his action.

“Representative Lynn wanted this matter to remain confidential since 2007 but once her name because public then at that point, I feel, I felt, a responsibility as a member of this House to file an ethics complaint and to show Tennesseans that not everybody in the General Assembly is against ethics.”

Representative Lynn issued a statement today, saying she had just been dismissed from the hospital with stress related symptoms.

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Representative Beth Harwell carefully worded the motion to dismiss Representative Kelsey’s complaint. Legislative attorney Doug Hines had explained that the Ethics Committee has no role in sexual harassment complaints. Such complaints have a specific path – and are protected under privacy laws and specific rules of the legislature.

After he made his comments, Harwell made her motion:

“In light of what legal counsel has commented on, and the fact that the [Republican] caucus leadership met, and addressed this, the offended, and the offender met, an apology was offered and an apology was accepted. The offended at the time choose not to file a formal complaint. This incident was, in fact, two years ago. Based on all this I would like to make a motion – but I request that after the action on this motion is taken, I am recognized again…I would like to make a motion that we not proceed forward with the complaint filed.”

Kelsey says the committee issued a verdict without a hearing and called the committee action a mistake.

He complained that the outcome illustrates a double standard toward the alleged perpetrator of such an offense.

“The explanation that the ethics committee doesn’t have jurisdiction over ethics is laughable. If it weren’t such a tragedy. There’s a victim here. And this is the reason that women don’t come forward on these claims. Because people tend to blame the victim. And that’s exactly what’s happening here. We have the perpetrator who’s getting off scot free, with not, no, even investigation… No hearing was held. No investigation. And yet where is the victim left? She’s left in the hospital. The reason Representative Lynn is not here is because she had major feelings of stress this morning and she is in the hospital and … unable to make it here. This is, this is a serious charge. It’s not a joking matter. The speaker has called this a joke. It’s not a joke when you make sexual harassment claims.”

Kelsey five times refused to answer a question – from three different reporters – as to whether his actions had contributed to Lynn’s stress.

He agreed that Lynn had tried to keep the issue low profile for two years.

“And it’s bad enough to go ahead and tell someone that you’d pay … give a week’s pay to see them naked. And it’s even worse to then go and spit in that victim’s face by lying about it and saying that it never happened. That’s what this complaint is about.”

Representative Susan Maggart later released a statement attributed to Rep. Lynn:

“I was admitted to the hospital this morning for stress-related symptoms caused by the incident under discussion. After several tests were run, doctors confirmed it was indeed related to stress. I have been released from the hospital and I am now resting at home. I appreciate everyone’s concern.”

House Speaker Kent Williams issued this statement after today’s action:

“I am pleased that the Ethics Committee has completed its work and fully resolved this matter.

It is time to turn our undivided attention to the serious challenges which we face. There are serious issues before us and we need serious people to join together to address them.

We must get past the bickering and partisanship. The people of Tennessee expect and deserve our very best as we move forward to address these issues.”