TN Democratic leader calls for resignations of GOP House leaders

The House majority whip is in charge of incumbents’ re-election efforts, and some Republicans anxious that donors could become skittish if Durham remained in the role.

“For me, I was just trying to engage professionally, from one professional to another”, one of the women said to The Tennessean.

“Alluding to accounts in a Tennessean news article over the weekend, Mancini said all three “knew the substance of Durham’s inappropriate behavior at least one week in advance of the caucus vote and likely much earlier”.

In response to the Tennessean’s report over the weekend, Durham was quoted by newspaper as saying that he did not remember sending the text messages.

“I thought the Republican leadership made some strong points”, Haslam said. This targeted media campaign continues to distract our Caucus and the legislature from focusing on the serious work that must be done over the next few months.

“I go tell someone in HR, ‘oh, this representative did this to me, you know, ‘” explained the woman who asked that her name not be used.

However, for the House Democratic Caucus it wasn’t enough.

After The Tennessean published its report on his text messages, Durham, who is married, announced on Sunday evening that he would resign from his leadership position, after confusion earlier in the afternoon about his decision.

Durham attended committee meetings Tuesday at Legislative Plaza. I believe he has made a good decision to prevent this issue from continuing to be a distraction to our Caucus. He represents Franklin and other parts of Williamson County.

An investigation by the Tennessean uncovered the texts sent to the women, although they had never reported them out of fear of retaliation or invasion of their privacy.

Speaker Harwell has said she is calling for a review of the General Assembly’s sexual harassment policy to ensure women “feel comfortable coming forward” with complaints.

State Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia, said she is not interested in the newly vacant House Majority Whip position.

Durham has been in the spotlight since it was revealed that prosecutors in 2014 sought fraud charges against the lawmaker on allegations of altering two prescriptions. The defendant later pleaded guilty in state court to statutory rape of a parishioner who was 16 at the time.

Today I have advised Speaker Beth Harwell, Majority Leader Gerald McCormick and Caucus Chair Glen Casada that I am resigning my Caucus position as Majority Whip.