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Missouri lawmakers have formally reprimanded a Democratic state representative for sending a sexually vulgar text message to a female colleague during a protest over congressional redistricting plans.
Rep. Jeremy Dean received multiple sanctions Thursday, including being barred from serving on House committees and ordered to maintain at least a 50-foot distance from Republican Rep. Cecelie Williams, the recipient of the offensive message. The House also mandated that Dean undergo additional sexual harassment training and indicated his seating and parking assignments might be changed.
The Missouri House approved the disciplinary measures with a 138-10 vote. All dissenting votes came from Democratic members, while Dean himself voted “present” during the proceedings.
Williams, who identified herself as a domestic abuse survivor, had advocated for Dean’s expulsion rather than merely a reprimand. Addressing her colleagues on the House floor, she said the vulgar message had triggered painful memories and altered her sense of security within the Capitol.
“At any other job, a message like that would be grounds for immediate termination – no questions asked,” Williams told the chamber as Dean sat silently. “We cannot excuse behavior in the Capitol that would never be tolerated anywhere else.”
The incident occurred on September 4 during a special legislative session focused on redistricting. Dean was among several lawmakers staging a sit-in protest on the House floor against a Republican-backed plan to redraw congressional districts in ways that could help the party gain an additional seat in this year’s elections. While protesters occupied the chamber for days, sleeping and eating meals there, Dean sent Williams the offensive text message as she participated in a House Elections Committee meeting elsewhere in the Capitol building. The message reportedly contained vulgar sexual references involving the president.
Following the incident, an ethics complaint triggered an internal House investigation. The House Ethics Committee unanimously recommended the penalties that were ultimately imposed.
While Dean acknowledged his text was inappropriate and unprofessional and sent an apology letter, Williams characterized his apology as insincere. “It was half-hearted, unsigned, e-mailed and cold,” she said. “It amounted to nothing more than ‘I’m sorry you were offended by my text messages.’ That is not an apology, it is an insult.”
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune had already removed Dean from his committee assignments in September when the message became public. House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican, said the chamber’s official reprimand “affirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming work environment.” Patterson announced that all House members will participate in annual sexual harassment training next week.
Dean declined to comment on the matter Thursday, referring questions to House Democratic staff.
This incident adds to a concerning pattern of misconduct allegations against state lawmakers nationwide. According to an Associated Press tally, at least 157 state lawmakers across the United States have been accused of sexual misconduct or harassment since 2017.
Recent cases include Nebraska state Sen. Dan McKeon, who resigned last week ahead of scheduled expulsion proceedings after allegedly making sexually charged comments and inappropriately touching a legislative staffer. In South Carolina, former state Rep. RJ May was sentenced to 17½ years in prison last week for distributing hundreds of child sexual abuse videos on social media during what prosecutors described as a “five-day child pornography spree” earlier this year.
The Missouri case highlights ongoing tensions around workplace conduct standards in state legislatures and the challenges of maintaining professional environments in politically charged settings.
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16 Comments
It’s concerning to see such inappropriate behavior from an elected representative. The House was right to take disciplinary action, but the lawmaker’s actions clearly warrant more serious consequences. Lawmakers must be held accountable for their conduct.
Absolutely. Expulsion should have been on the table, given the severity of the offense. Sending a sexually vulgar message to a colleague is unacceptable and erodes public confidence in our elected officials.
This incident raises serious concerns about the ethical standards expected of elected officials. While the reprimand may be warranted, the House’s response seems too lenient given the gravity of the lawmaker’s actions. Sending a sexually vulgar message to a colleague is unacceptable and should be met with stronger consequences.
I agree. The House should have considered more severe disciplinary measures, such as expulsion, to address this breach of ethics. Lawmakers must be held to the highest standards of conduct, and actions like this undermine the integrity of the political process. The House’s response falls short in addressing this serious issue.
This is a disappointing situation. While the reprimand may be warranted, it’s troubling that the lawmaker in question was not expelled. Lawmakers must be held to the highest ethical standards, and actions like this should not be tolerated.
I agree. The House’s response seems too lenient given the gravity of the offense. Vulgar messages targeting a colleague are unacceptable, and expulsion should have been considered to send a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated.
Unacceptable behavior from an elected official. Vulgar messages have no place in the political process, especially directed at a fellow lawmaker. This type of conduct undermines public trust and should be swiftly condemned.
Agreed. The reprimand seems appropriate, but lawmakers must be held to high ethical standards. Ongoing sexual harassment training is a good step, but there should be stronger consequences for such egregious actions.
This is a troubling incident that raises questions about the ethical standards expected of elected officials. While the reprimand may be warranted, the House should have considered more severe consequences to address the lawmaker’s inappropriate behavior and protect the safety and wellbeing of their colleagues.
Agreed. Lawmakers must be held to the highest standards of conduct, and actions like this should not be tolerated. The House’s response seems too lenient, and the lawmaker in question should face more serious consequences for their actions.
The details of this case are concerning, and the House’s response seems inadequate. Sending a sexually vulgar message to a colleague is unacceptable, and lawmakers must be held accountable for their actions. The House should have considered stronger disciplinary measures to address this breach of ethics.
Absolutely. Expulsion should have been on the table, given the severity of the offense. Lawmakers must be held to the highest standards, and actions like this erode public trust in our elected officials. The House’s response falls short in addressing this serious breach of conduct.
The details of this case are concerning and raise questions about the ethical standards expected of elected officials. While the reprimand may be warranted, the House’s response seems inadequate given the gravity of the lawmaker’s actions. Sending a sexually vulgar message to a colleague is unacceptable and should be met with stronger consequences to uphold the integrity of the legislative process.
Absolutely. Expulsion should have been on the table, given the severity of the offense. Lawmakers must be held to the highest standards of conduct, and actions like this erode public trust in our elected officials. The House’s response falls short in addressing this serious breach of ethics.
The details of this case are concerning. While the reprimand is a start, the House should have taken stronger action to address the lawmaker’s unacceptable conduct. Lawmakers must be held accountable for their actions, especially when they involve harassment or abuse of power.
I agree. Sending a sexually vulgar message to a colleague, especially one who has experienced domestic abuse, is a serious breach of ethics. The House’s response seems inadequate, and more severe consequences should have been imposed to uphold the integrity of the legislative process.