Disappointed. There really is no other word to describe how I felt waking up on Tuesday morning to the news that Missouri District 36 Representative DaRon McGee resigned from his position the night before, after allegations of sexual harassment came to light.

According to his letter of resignation, however, McGee has accepted an employment position in Kansas City, “which will, unfortunately, cause me to return to my district full-time as of May 3, 2019.” The letter was received by the Speaker of the House at 6:55 p.m. on Monday evening.
Apparently, McGee was the subject of a Committee on Ethics investigation, and Chairman Eggleston reported those findings following the submission of the resignation letter.

In the report, the committee indicated that in early January, a mandated reporter contacted the Missouri House of Representatives Division of Administration to report allegations that McGee attempted to engage in an amorous relationship with a House employee whom he supervised. The report goes on to say that McGee repeatedly delayed and obstructed the proceedings, impeding resolution of the matter.

“Respondent’s actions demonstrate disrespect of the House of Representatives and a failure to acknowledge the severity of his actions towards the Employee,” the report says. “The Committee on Ethics, having given full consideration to this complaint, including hearing the evidence and testimony presented at the preliminary hearing, and in light of the Respondent’s repeated attempts to delay the proceedings and obstruct the authority of this Committee, concludes that the actions of the Respondent constitute a moral and legal wrong and hereby issues this report, containing an enumerated list of recommended sanctions, as a final resolution of this matter.”

This report, adopted by a unanimous vote of the Committee on Ethics, was filed the same day that McGee resigned.

According to the report, McGee did his best to shut this investigation down. The committee, as part of its investigation, was given a series of text messages between McGee and the employee, which indicated that McGee attempted to engage in a sexual relationship with the employee, despite rejection. McGee then took matters into his own hands by taking actions that resulted in the employee losing her job.

This just a year after former Governor Eric Greitens resigned amid his own sexual misconduct. The list of men in power facing these types of allegations is ever growing. And ever disappointing.

We deserve representation with values and morals. We deserve to have men and women in power positions who do not take advantage of that power. We deserve to hold our elected officials accountable, and we deserve to hold those same men and women in high esteem. We deserve better.