Updated 1/28/16 at 9:15 a.m.
At a Republican caucus meeting this morning at the state Capitol, Rep. Jeremy Durham told his colleagues he'll step away from caucus activities but won't step down from the legislature.
Durham addresses caucus says he doesn't want to put them in a bad spot, will step away from caucus. pic.twitter.com/98k88q3Q1Z— Hayley Mason (@WSMVHayleyMason) January 27, 2016
Durham hasn't admitted to any wrongdoing, claiming that the accusations of sexual harassment are untrue. Durham did say he'd speak with "my wife and my doctor" about how to deal with his situation, but he later clarified he wasn't talking about rehab."Even standing by everything I've said, it's still a very stressful time," Durham said. "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."
Durham has already given up his position as the House's majority whip, but he says he plans to seek re-election next year.Listen: Democrats call for a bipartisan investigation.
Updated 1/27/16 at 7:15 a.m.
Republican legislators have called a special meeting to discuss what’s next for Rep. Jeremy Durham. The 32-year-old who stepped down as Majority Whip this week has said he won’t resign, even though top Republican leaders suggest he should.
The Tennessean reports one possible outcome of Wednesday morning’s impromptu meeting could be the creation of a special investigative committee to look into Durham’s behavior. The lawmaker will have a chance to speak at the gathering, which is expected to be open to the public and press. He has maintained that he doesn’t recall sending the text messages in question.
Special GOP caucus meeting to discuss Durham’s future https://t.co/F2WW47d11q via @tennessean @dave_boucher1— Anita Wadhwani (@anitawadhwani) January 27, 2016
Updated 1/26/16 at 11:45 a.m.Democrats are calling for a bipartisan investigation — complete with subpoena power — into the claims that Franklin Representative Jeremy Durham sexually harassed three women at the state Capitol. They say the Republicans' response so far has been too little, too late.
House Speaker BethHarwellhas said she wants to review the legislature's sexual harassment policies, which date back nearly two decades. She's also called for barring interns from legislative receptions and asked them not to give lawmakers their cell phone numbers. Memphis Democrat G.A.Hardawaysays those proposals miss the point.
"If there's a legislator that can't be trusted with the phone number for an intern, then the legislator can't be trusted with the intern," Hardaway says "It's silly."
Durham maintains he didn't sexually harass anyone. No formal complaint has been filed.
Updated 1/26/16 at 4:30 p.m.
Gov. Bill Haslam is the latest Republican leader to urge Representative Jeremy Durham to step down after being accused of sending inappropriate messages to three, unidentified women.
"We're all here to represent a constituency," Haslam told reporters Tuesday morning. "I think Representative Durham needs to ask himself, 'How effective can I be representing my constituency at this point?'"
Haslamalso defended House Speaker BethHarwell'shandling of the allegations against Durham. He says that until this week the charges of sexual harassment were just "rumors."
Meanwhile, House Democrat Mike Stewart says the Republican leadership should have been investigating the allegations against Durham before an article in The Tennessean brought them to light.
House Dem Chair: #tnleg can't move on new sexual harassment policy w/o understanding where current policy broke down pic.twitter.com/DxhqdtI6g6— Chas Sisk (@chassisk) January 26, 2016
Original Post:
Hear the radio version of this story.
The chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party called Monday for state Representative Jeremy Durham to resign.
The demand came as Republican leaders sought to respond to accusations the second-term lawmaker sexually harassed staffers and others.
In a story that appeared Sunday, The Tennessean quoted three women who anonymously claimed Durham had sent them inappropriate texts and messages over social media.
Tennessee GOP Chairman Ryan Haynes said those allegations are troubling enough that Durham should step aside for the good of other lawmakers.
"The reality is, we need to take a look at individual members and how they've behaved. And I think, in light of the story yesterday, I think Representative Durham needs to step down."
Haynes also said Knoxville Representative Joe Armstrong, a Democrat who faces trial on tax charges, should resign as well.
The demand appeared to tweak his Democratic counterpart, state party chair Mary Mancini, who earlier Monday had criticized Republican leaders' handling of complaints about Durham. She said House Speaker Beth Harwell, Majority Leader Gerald McCormick and Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada had created a "toxic workplace" by looking the other way from Durham's behavior.
Mancini sought to differentiate between the accusations against Armstrong and Durham. Armstrong had given up his Democratic leadership post and would be facing charges in court.
"There's a big difference," she said. "With them and with what they did, there was a cover-up."
Harwell Stops Short
Meanwhile, House Speaker Beth Harwell did not go so far as to call on Durham to step down. She says, if the complaints about Durham are true, he "needs to focus on his family" and get help. But the decision ultimately rests with him.
Harwell defended her handling of the situation. She said she urged staffers to caution Durham about his behavior even though she hadn't received a formal complaint.
"I never did receive it. I just am basing on rumors that I hear in the hallway."
Harwell said she still doesn't know who the women are. But she said she'll appoint an independent panel to review the legislature's sexual assault policies, which she noted were written nearly two decades ago.
Harwell also said she will bar interns from attending receptions for lawmakers or giving them their phone numbers.
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