KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, state representative has resigned amid allegations of improper conduct with an employee.
A House of Representatives investigation revealed Rep. DaRon McGee, who was also the Assistant Minority Floor Leader, attempted to engage in a romantic relationship with an employee he supervised. His advances were unwelcome, and the employee was terminated, according to documents released by the House.
Click here to read the report. Reference page 21.
McGee’s resignation letter did not mention the investigation, but stated his reason for leaving was his acceptance of a full-time job in Kansas City, Missouri.
In early January, a mandated reporter made leaders in the House’s Division of Administration aware of allegations that McGee attempted to engage in a romantic relationship with an employee that he supervised.
The House asked outside counsel to investigate the allegations, which after conducting interviews with the involved parties, forwarded the complaint to the Committee on Ethics.
The committee subpoenaed electronic communication between McGee and the employee, and found that several text messages “instigated by [McGee] were flirtatious in nature, and gave the appearance of [McGee] attempting to establish an amorous relationship with the Employee.”
The committee found no evidence McGee and the employee actually established a romantic relationship, and McGee’s advances were unwelcome by the employee.
The committee also discovered McGee took actions that resulted in the employee’s termination.
Last week, the committee voted 8-0 to recommend the House censure McGee for his actions, which included paying $7,408.05 in restitution for the cost of the investigation, resignation from the position of Assistant Minority Floor Leader, removal from committee assignments, and more.
McGee was given until noon on Monday to either accept or reject the committee’s recommended censures.
The committee’s report indicates McGee missed that deadline, and called McGee’s actions in delaying and obstructing the proceedings “a failure to acknowledge the severity of his actions towards the Employee.”
Late Monday evening, McGee sent his resignation to the Speaker of the House Elijah Haahr, writing that he’d accepted a job in Kansas City, Missouri, that requires him to be in the city on a full-time basis.
Missouri Democratic Party Chair Jean Peters Baker issued the following statement:
"The findings of the House Ethics Committee are disheartening and leave me disgusted with this continuing conduct in our Capitol by elected officials. Sexual harassment is not tolerated no matter the harasser’s political affiliation. While I had hoped this era of abuse of power had passed us, today's news demonstrates we have much more work to do. As an elected official, I know we must earn the public's trust and fight to keep it. I'm hopeful this resignation is one small step in earning that trust."
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