sexual harassment within state legislatures<\/a> nationwide. At least 156 state lawmakers across 44 states have been accused of sexual harassment or misconduct since 2017, when The Associated Press began tracking such incidents amid the #MeToo movement. Of those, 56 have resigned or been expelled from office. A nearly equal number have faced some other type of repercussion, such as losing committee or party leadership positions.<\/p>\nA report on the Nebraska complaint was compiled by an outside law firm at the request of the Legislature’s Executive Board and released Wednesday. It found that McKeon has \u201ca reputation for making jokes and that some of those jokes are unprofessional and\/or inappropriate for the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report determined that McKeon’s conduct did not rise to a level of sexual harassment or retaliation that is actionable under state or federal discrimination law, but that didn’t mean it was acceptable. It said McKeon’s conduct did violate the Nebraska Legislature’s workplace harassment policy, and that lawmakers \u201cmay, in their discretion, censure, reprimand or expel the senator for his conduct and comments.\u201d<\/p>\n
After interviewing the woman, McKeon and others, the attorney who wrote the report found that the woman, McKeon and another staffer had been discussing vacation plans at the May 29 party when McKeon asked whether the woman was \u201cgoing to Hawaii to get laid,\u201d she said. McKeon characterized the remark as a joke in which he said he hoped she would get a Hawaiian lei while in Hawaii.<\/p>\n
\u201cComplainant was not vacationing in Hawaii so this comment was inconsistent with the discussion of vacation plans,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
The staffer also said McKeon patted her behind. McKeon initially denied touching the woman, the report said, but later said he may have touched her back or lower back \u201cor even rear end,\u201d but insisted it was not intended to be sexual.<\/p>\n
The report also said that following the complaint, McKeon was instructed by Sen. Ben Hansen, chairman of the Executive Board, on June 2 not to attend social gatherings where staffers would be present. Despite this, McKeon attended another party that night also attended by staffers \u2014 including the woman who filed the complaint against him \u2014 according to the report.<\/p>\n
Nearly a month later, urged by Hansen to \u201caccept responsibility for what he was alleged to have done\u201d McKeon sent the woman a note telling her she should find it within herself to forgive him \u201cbecause that is what the Bible instructs people to do,\u201d the report said. <\/p>\n
Then, in August, McKeon texted another staffer who shares an office with the woman, saying she \u201cseems to be difficult to work with,\u201d the report found. <\/p>\n
An investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol ultimately led to McKeon being charged with a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace. McKeon has pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n
McKeon, who attended Wednesday’s opening session, declined to comment on the report itself. But his remarks on the complaint against him and the possibility of being expelled were in line with the report’s findings, falling back on religious references by saying that his name, Daniel, means \u201cjust\u201d in Hebrew and remarking \u201cwe’re all sinners\u201d when asked about accusations that he’s often made inappropriate jokes in the workplace.<\/p>\n
He said he has no plans to step down, despite calls from leaders of his own party \u2014 including Republican Gov. Jim Pillen \u2014 to resign. But he seemed ready to accept that he might be forced out, saying he expects any vote in the full Legislature to \u201cbe pretty close.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is what it is,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m not going to cry about it or anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Legislature’s Executive Board will hold a hearing Monday on the resolution to expel McKeon. If it’s voted out of committee, the full Legislature could debate it as soon as Tuesday and would need 33 votes to pass.<\/p>\n
If McKeon is expelled, he would be the nation’s 57th state lawmaker accused of sexual misconduct to have left office via expulsion or resignation since 2017.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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