Topline
The Texas House voted unanimously to expel Rep. Bryan Slaton on Tuesday—the first expulsion in the House since 1927—after an internal investigation found he had sex with and gave alcohol to a 19-year-old aide and showed no remorse.
The name plate of Texas state Rep. Bryan Slaton is removed from the voting board after fellow … [+]
Key Facts
Slaton, 45, faced criticism and calls to resign from the state Republican party and conservative groups since last week, when a House investigative report revealed that he had given the intern and another young staffer alcohol, had sex with the intern while she was intoxicated and threatened her to keep quiet, AP reported.
The investigation, which was released Saturday, found that Slaton didn’t deny having sex with the woman and was not remorseful for his actions.
Slaton resigned Monday, but unless he were officially expelled, Texas law would have allowed him to continue to collect his House salary and per diem, and he would have continued to sit on assigned committees and count toward a quorum until his replacement was elected, according to the Texas Tribune.
Slaton did not address the allegations in his resignation letter, and the lawmaker — who was regarded as one of the farthest-right members of the House — was criticized by his former House colleagues for not expressing remorse and for betraying the people’s trust.
Key Background
Slaton, who was elected to the House in 2021, ran on a platform of being a “family values” conservative, according to the Texas Tribune, and had proposed a ban on minors attending drag shows in order to protect them from “perverted adults.” Many of his policies and values were anti-LGBTQ. The last time a House member was expelled was 1927 when a member was expelled over a bribery scandal.
Crucial Quote
“Predatory behavior merits such a consequence,” House Speaker Dade Phelan said after the vote. “I hope the action we’ve taken here today sends a message that sexual harassment and inappropriate activities in the workplace will not be condoned and they are unacceptable.”
Further Reading
Texas House expels Bryan Slaton, first member ousted since 1927 (Texas Tribune)
Texas lawmaker resigns ahead of misconduct expulsion vote (AP)
Texas House voted 147-0 to expel Rep. Bryan Slaton after sexual misconduct finding (Austin American-Statesman)
Texas legislator proposes ban on minors watching drag shows (NBC News)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/09/texas-legislature-votes-174-0-to-expel-representative-who-had-affair-with-19-year-old-aide/