NASHVILLE - The state House's top three Republican leaders told embattled Rep. Jeremy Durham on Wednesday he needs to resign his seat in the General Assembly and deal with personal issues and sexual harassment allegations.
The move came after the 32-year-old Republican earlier in the day told GOP Caucus members, who were about to consider a move to oust Durham from their caucus, that he was formally separating himself from them, but not resigning.
There's such a preponderance of issues that are coming up that we feel like Jeremy needs to get some help, which he has agreed to go to counseling and get some help. And he could do that better if he wasn't in the Legislature," said House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, who participated in the call with Republican Speaker Beth Harwell and Speaker Pro Tempore Curtis Johnson.McCormick, who told the Times Free Press earlier this week he received complaints about Durham involving harassment from two women last year who declined to press formal charges due to concerns of reprisals, said the lawmakers' problems are "just such a distraction to everyone, to the caucus in particular, and to the entire House of Representatives.
"We asked him to consider resigning rather than going through a lengthy process where he would have to explain his actions, in addition to going through the treatment he needs and getting everything in order in that area," McCormick said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, the Republican Senate speaker, spelled out in no uncertain terms to the Nashville Post what he thinks House Republicans need to do: They should end the ongoing Durham spectacle by moving to expel him from the House.
The situation is making all legislators look bad, Ramsey said as he called on Harwell to "take charge of the situation."
Over the weekend, Durham resigned his Republican Majority Whip position, the No. 4 slot after the Tennessean reported three unidentified women saying the lawmaker had sent them inappropriate text messages at night that included requests for photos.
He said the accusations, which he called unfounded, were a "distraction" for colleagues.
Earlier, on Jan. 12, the first day of this year's legislative session, Durham survived a rebellion in the GOP Caucus over the allegations, as well as other problems he has had. A motion to suspend the rules to consider ousting him from the leadership post failed by just one vote of the required two thirds majority. But a majority - 48 of the 66 members present - had favored suspending the rules. The caucus has 73 members.
GOP Caucus had called the special meeting Wednesday morning to discuss an investigation into the allegations, as well as an effort to oust Durham from the caucus.
Durham has adamantly denied wrongdoing and spurned calls by Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Ryan Haynes he resign, as well as previous strong suggestions from House Speaker Beth Harwell and Gov. Bill Haslam that he do so.
"I don't want to be a distraction to the caucus," Durham told colleagues earlier on Wednesday. "I don't want to put you all in a bad position. That was why I stepped down as whip is because I didn't want to put you in a bad position."
While admitting nothing, Durham also told the caucus, "I'm going to make sure I'm doing everything right on my end, and talk to my wife and my doctor. I think while this is going on I need to separate myself."
As he left the caucus meeting, Durham ignored requests by some reporters for elaboration on his remarks. But speaking later to Nashville public radio station WPLN, the lawmaker clarified he wasn't talking about any type of rehab.
"Even standing by everything I've said, it's still a very stressful time," Durham explained. "And I still need to make sure that I'm with my family and that I'm doing what I need to be doing. It wasn't meant to be anything more than that."
Harwell, who has come under intense fire from Democrats over the situation, revealed to caucus members on Wednesday that she met Tuesday met with one of the women, who previously complained to McCormick about Durham's behavior, and is still trying to understand how to get her comfortable with filing a complaint. The speaker said she also met with a sexual harassment attorney. Earlier in the week, she named an independent panel with an eye toward revising the General Assembly's 19-year-old harassment policies.
"Again, I did not have any first-hand knowledge of any sexual abuse," Harwell told the caucus. "No one sat down with me or Glen [GOP Caucus Chairman Casada]," she said. "What Gerald was aware of, he made very clear to you. So I don't want you to think in any way that we withheld information from this caucus."
After Durham's announcement, Casada told caucus members, "Let's reach out to our friend with our prayers and be a help and support."
Durham's behavior has raised a number of questions in recent weeks. An attorney, Durham in 2014 wrote a character reference on House stationary in support of a former youth pastor. The man had pleaded guilty to charges of child porn possession and statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl at the church.
Prosecutors brought charges against Durham for allegedly altering the dates on two of his prescriptions. But a Williamson County grand jury would not indict him.
Casada described Durham's move Wednesday as "disassociation" from the caucus. He is thus ineligible to participate in caucus meetings, vote on GOP issues or receive caucus campaign funds.
A majority of the now 72-member GOP Caucus would have to vote to let Durham rejoin them, Casada said. If Durham, who has said he will "aggressively" seek re-election, returns to the House, he would automatically be eligible for caucus membership unless members vote against it.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com, 615-255-0550 or follow via twitter at AndySher1.