Missouri legislator accused by interns submits resignation

LeVota served in the Missouri House including as Minority Leader before he was elected three years ago to the Senate.

A report released Wednesday details a former female intern in LeVota’s office claiming LeVota made sexual advances toward her. The Kansas City Star reports that a second former intern in his office claims he also propositioned her. LeVota has denied the allegations.

“As I stated before, I did not engage in any inappropriate activities with any intern in the Missouri Senate and a thorough investigation found no proof of misconduct”, LeVota said. Dempsey says the letter notes the resignation is effective August 23.

“I am glad that Sen”.

Sources told KCTV5 that LeVota had spent Friday holed up with his advisers in determining a course of action for his political career after he faced harsh criticism from fellow Democrats including Gov. Jay Nixon and U.S. Sen.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey announced Thursday that an ethics panel will investigate and make a recommendation to the full Senate. Charles, said he respected LeVota’s decision.

Pressure on LeVota grew after the release Wednesday of an internal Senate investigation into Hembree’s sexual harassment complaint against the senator this year.

Hembree said LeVota repeatedly sexually harassed her and then retaliated against her when she turned down his unwanted advances.

She said she told Berry about what LeVota did but begged him to keep quiet. She says she was shunned by the senator, was removed from assignments and was called derogatory names by the senator.

LeVota flatly denies that the intern was ever in his duplex or sent the young woman any inappropriate text messages, but declined to have his phone examined.

The Senate report details Hembree’s claims that LeVota sent her text messages calling her “perfect and handsome”, saying the two were “secret friends” and asking where she was and what she was doing outside work hours. Both reports suggest the intern slept that night on LeVota’s couch.

Additionally, Hembree said she cut her hair in February so she would appear less feminine and wouldn’t be treated differently because she is a woman. She worked for him for two months before the University of Central Missouri pulled her and a male intern from the state Capitol due to Hembree’s allegations.

The Senate Committee on Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics was tasked with investigating the allegations further after it was reported that a 2010 LeVota intern, Taylor Hirth, had a similar experience as Hembree.

While I am deeply disappointed in the allegations, I am gratified that the independent Senate investigators did not find them to be supported by any evidence and I look forward to returning to work for the people of Missouri. House Speaker John Diehl, R-Town and Country, resigned in May after sexually charged messages he shared with a 19-year-old intern from Missouri Southern State University became public.