NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Democratic Tennessee lawmaker on Thursday announced he is resigning from his leadership position after a House ethics panel concluded he violated the General Assembly’s sexual harassment policy.
“I have already publicly apologized for any distress I unintentionally caused,” said Rep. Rick Staples of Knoxville. “I have decided to step down from my leadership position of Assistant House Minority Leader so I can end the unwarranted suffering on my family, continue to serve my constituents unimpeded and end any distractions this may bring to the Tennessee House.”
Staples first apologized last week, when the allegations were first made public, saying he was sorry if his actions were “misinterpreted,” but the allegations were nothing more than a “political character assassination.”
House Speaker Glen Casada’s office received a letter from the House Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee on April 1, which said the panel had reviewed complaints against Staples.
According to the letter, the subcommittee directed the Knoxville Democrat to take actions to ensure the violation does not happen again and to report back to the subcommittee.