Houston lawmaker's staff in resignation letter: 'You have continued to endorse, encourage and create an abusive and hostile work environment in the workplace'

A Houston state representative’s entire staff has resigned in response to what a letter claims is an “abusive and hostile” work environment, according to reports from Houston-based media outlets.

Houston FOX affiliate KRIV reported that State Rep. Jolanda Jones (D-Houston) confirmed the resignations.

Per KRIV, the staffers wrote Jones to criticize her behavior as a superior.

"We, as a collective of senior staff, have repeatedly attempted to curb your behavior and address the type of work environment you have bred over the last month,” the correspondence read. “But, to no avail; we haven't seen any success. You have continued to endorse, encourage and create an abusive and hostile work environment in the workplace without accountability for you or your relatives’ actions."

The letter further alleged that Jiovanni "Jio" Christian Jones, the lawmaker’s son and the purported general counsel for a lobbying firm, has an inappropriate relationship with one of her interns.

State Rep. Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, said the allegations are under review after learning about them on Wednesday, Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported. 

“The allegations are under review by the appropriate entities, as outlined in the rules of the Texas House,” Phelan’s office said. “The speaker’s office takes all allegations seriously and expects that this matter will be addressed and resolved as soon as possible.”

According to Houston ABC affiliate KTRK, Jones issued a statement of her own but didn’t talk about the claims against her.

"Working in the Texas legislature is a stressful and demanding job, especially when you are in a daily fight to protect your constituents from attacks on their families, their civil rights, their schools and their ability to control their own bodies,” the legislator said. “Some of my staff have decided this job is not for them. I wish them good luck and success in their next endeavors."

Jones’s political résumé includes terms served on the Houston City Council and the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Education.