Texas House votes to formally expel Bryan Slaton

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The day after a Royce Republican submitted his resignation after an internal investigation found he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with an aide, the Texas House of Representatives voted unanimously to oust Brian Slaton. .

After speaking solemnly, sometimes angry, sometimes tearfully about Slaton’s inappropriate relationship with a 19-year-old aide, in a 147-to-0 vote, Slaton became the first member of the Texas legislature since 1927. rice field.

A two-thirds majority of the House of Representatives was required to expel him.

Slaton’s nameplate was quickly removed from his desk and the ballot counting board in front of the House Chamber.

Slaton’s ouster followed an almost month-long investigation by the House General Inquiry Committee after receiving complaints about Slaton’s actions from three Capitol employees and four members of Congress. On Saturday, the committee detailed the actions Slaton, 45, took when he offered a young woman large amounts of alcohol before an April 1 encounter and recommended that Slaton be deported from the House of Commons. A 16-page report was published.

Ahead of the vote, committee members briefly outlined the “offensive” and “graphic” allegations and said Slaton did not dispute them and expressed no remorse or regret. They also said Slaton likely committed multiple crimes, including serving alcohol to minors.

Rep. Andrew Marr, a Junction Republican who will lead the investigation committee, said, “This Texas House of Representatives, after hearing from multiple petitioners about the serious and disturbing facts, turned the opposite cheek or simply shook its members’ wrists. I don’t slap you or anything,” he said. .

“It breaks my heart,” Ma said, thickening his voice. “I think you are too.”

Rep. Ann Johnson (D-Houston), in a heartfelt speech, said Slaton displayed a “systematic pattern of manipulation”, and that an aide was slammed during the encounter after Slaton offered her several large mixed drinks. She questioned whether she could agree. She then accused Slaton of being “the type of guy who steals innocence” and “doesn’t deserve a position of trust.”

Slaton resigned on Monday, but he was entitled to a House salary and per diem unless he was deposed, Maher said. Participate and be counted to establish a working quorum of the House of Commons.

Slaton, a prominent anti-LGBTQ lawmaker who describes drag performers as “perverted adults,” allegedly invited the woman to his Austin apartment and handed her a large cup of rum and coke before refilling it twice. increase. The commission said she was “virtually incapable of consenting to sexual intercourse and unable to indicate whether it was welcome or unwelcome.”

The bipartisan commission also said Slaton tried to sabotage their investigation.

Married Father Slaton A self-described conservative of “family values,” he submitted his written resignation to Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday. In the letter, Slaton said he intended to spend more time with his family, but he did not mention any inappropriate relationships.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mahr circulated a memorandum to House members outlining why Slaton’s expulsion was appropriate despite Slaton’s resignation. rice field. Otherwise, Mr. Slaton would be considered a “holdover” member who “still benefits from the office until his successor qualifies.”

“Thus, expulsion is the only way to immediately terminate a member’s service in the legislative branch,” the memo said.

Abbott must call a special election to fill the vacancies in the Second District of the House of Representatives, but that election cannot take place before Congress closes on Memorial Day.

Slaton was previously a youth pastor of several Southern Baptist churches and is running for the Texas House of Representatives in 2021 on a campaign for family values. The campaign was heavily funded by his Defend Texas Liberty PAC, which is funded mostly by far-right West Texas oil and gas tycoons. In the House, he had a reputation as an anti-LGBTQ bomber, and he was unafraid to prick people in his own party from the right.

Slaton last year called for a blanket ban on minors in drag shows, saying minors need to be protected from “perverted adults” and excluding LGBTQ and divorced people, while also excluding married couples. proposed giving heterosexual couples with a tax credit per child. Slaton, who is divorced, this year called for a referendum on separating Texas from the United States, but legal experts overwhelmingly say such a move would be illegal.

Calls for Slaton’s resignation have been mounting since the report was released on Saturday. Over the weekend, two of the three Republican parties in the county he represents called for his resignation, and more than half of the 62-member state Republican executive committee had done the same by Sunday night.

Other Slayton supporters also deserted him.Texas Right to Life is a “Christian organization” that holds its staff, board members, scholarship recipients and political supporters to high moral standards. The Young Conservative Party of Texas also called for Slaton’s resignation.

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