Texas House unanimously expels Bryan Slaton after sexual misconduct allegations
The Texas House voted unanimously on Tuesday to expel embattled GOP Rep. Bryan Slaton, amid allegations he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 19-year-old female staffer.
The above video shows GOP Rep. Bryan Slaton's name slate being removed after the vote.
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas House voted unanimously on Tuesday to expel embattled GOP Rep. Bryan Slaton, amid allegations he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 19-year-old female staffer.
The vote comes a day after Slaton submitted his resignation papers to the governor, after a House panel made public its findings about his misconduct.
Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, said all of the facts alleged in the House General Investigating Committee's report on Slaton are "completely undisputed" by Slaton and others.
According to the report, Slaton showed a pattern of inappropriate behavior with the aide. The committee said his actions came to a head one evening on March 31, when he invited the staffer to his Austin apartment and providing her enough alcohol that she reportedly felt "dizzy" before the two engaged in sexual intercourse.
The panel also found that he tried to cover up the others, using harrassment and intimidation tactics in order to prevent the information from coming to light and that Slaton has shown "no remorse" for his actions.
Reading a summary of the facts in the committee's report, vice-chair Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, said the chamber had "no choice" but to take to vote to expel Slaton.
"When he realized he was about to be caught he came up with a plan to try not to get caught," Johnson said before the vote.
The committee's chair, Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, wept on the floor in delivering his remarks to the House before asking members to vote in favor of the resolution to expell Slaton.
Slaton, 45 and married, had been among one of the most conservative members in the lower chamber. Last year, he was a leading voice in calls to ban drag shows in the presence of minors, citing a need to protect children from "perverted adults" who want to sexualize children.
He is the first state representative to be expelled from the House since 1927.
This is a developing report, check back for updates.