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A lobbyist is accused of using a date rape drug on a female legislative staffer, and that news has drawn a swift response from members of the Texas House of Representatives.
More than two dozen female representatives signed on to a letter authored by Donna Howard, including Rep. Julie Johnson, who tweeted her response as well as her own statement on the allegations, on April 26.
“There have been allegations of sexual assault at the Capitol. I won't partake in the culture of victim blaming — so I signed my name to this letter along with the other women of the #TXlege. We will continue to monitor this situation to seek justice for our staff. #WeBelieveHer,” Johnson wrote.
According to the Texas Tribune, on April 24, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that there was an open investigation into a recent complaint by a capitol staffer. While officials haven’t provided further details, lobbying firm HillCo Partners confirmed over the weekend that an employee is a “person of interest” in the investigation. DPS officials have not said anything about when or where the alleged incident occurred, nor have they released the identities of the staffer making the complaint, or the lobbyist who is accused.
In the letter to legislature employees, the dozens of female legislators said “the ultimate goal has been to change the culture of silence and victim blaming, and instead, create a supportive system.”
And they’re not the only ones speaking up. In fact, House Speaker Dade Phelan made a statement acknowledging the situation when he called the legislature to order on April 26.
“I am disgusted that this sort of predatory behavior is still taking place in and around our Capitol,” Phelan said.
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, of Southlake, also made a statement.
On April 25, the day after the incident allegedly occurred, Capriglione tweeted: “My house shall be a house of prayer but you are making it a den of thieves. We must change a corrupting culture. As a husband, a father to three daughters and responsible for staff – I won’t tolerate anyone who refuses to treat women appropriately, in thought, word or action. #txlege”
Legislators are taking a closer look at policies related to harassment in the Texas House and Senate, and there will be changes, Phelan told KXAN.
Several members of the House banned lobbyists from coming to their offices as the incident is investigated, including Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock who tweeted, “While the investigation is pending, the accused lobbyist(s) and their firm(s) are banned from my office. And, if true, will be permanently banned.”
The Austin law firm representing the accused lobbyist has issued a statement about the situation too.
“We represent one of the parties that is purportedly being looked into regarding a Capitol staffer allegedly being drugged. At this stage, we do not plan to identify this client publicly, but we can state that he has cooperated at every level requested to date. If, in fact, somebody drugged a capitol staffer, it was not our client nor any employee of HillCo Partners,” David and Perry Minton wrote in a statement. “We can state this with absolute certainty. We respectfully request that everyone involved proceed with due caution before an innocent person’s life is ruined.”