Rep. Daniel Grossberg removed from committees amid scrutiny of interactions with women
Under fire for his interaction with women, Rep. Daniel Grossberg is no longer on any interim committees of the Kentucky House of Representatives.
House Democratic leadership informed Grossberg Tuesday he has been removed from the committees, according to Grossberg’s attorney Anna Whites. The Louisville Democrat’s profile page on the Legislative Research Commission confirms he is no longer on any interim committees.
Whites told the Herald-Leader Thursday that Grossberg and his team are “looking at appropriate legal response” to the action “because it effectively disenfranchises his constituents.” She said no reason was given when he was informed of the move.
A statement this morning from House Democratic leaders pushes back on that claim and mentions “new information” from the Legislative Research Commission, known in Frankfort as LRC.
“In light of new information Leadership received from LRC officials it was deemed appropriate to relieve Rep. Grossberg of his committee responsibilities during the interim. Many committees do not cast votes during the interim, and Rep. Grossberg’s constituents will not be impacted by this decision,” the statement reads.
Grossberg, 45, is under investigation by the LRC, multiple sources confirmed to the Herald-Leader two weeks ago, including his lawyer.
A spoksesperson for House Democratic leadership has not responded to a question about what that “new information” referenced entails.
LRC spokesperson Mike Wynn told the Herald-Leader the organization is still “reviewing information” on Grossberg’s conduct.
“LRC is reviewing information on this matter as it becomes available and communicating with legislative leaders. But as a neutral, nonpartisan administrative office, we do not comment on possible investigations or actions that may involve legislators, including committee assignments,” Wynn wrote.
Whites said she has not seen or heard of recent behavior that she finds “sexually harassing or inappropriate.”
“Do I love using the word ‘exotic’ in a message to someone of the opposite gender? No,” she said.
However, Whites said she’s not seen a text message that crossed the line and was sexual harassment against women.
“There is a bunch of rumor out there,” she said. “Pushing back against rumors is very difficult.”
The Louisville lawmaker is still listed as a member of three “session” House committees, which meet during the spring when the General Assembly is in session.
Herald-Leader reporting revealed Grossberg had sent at least three women texts they described as “creepy” or “weird” and made them feel uneasy. The inappropriate texts, often received late at night, were sent to women who worked with lawmakers and often centered around their appearance.
Later, the Herald-Leader reported that Grossberg was the subject of campus controversy at Grinnell College in the early 2000s when he penned a satirical advice column that seemingly tried to play off a reputation he’d gained for making women uncomfortable.
In his “Sketchy Dan” column, he recommended that “lonely,” “horny” and “creepy” young men aggressively pursue women on campus, even if the women weren’t interested.
In response to the investigation and to initial reporting, the Kentucky House Democratic Caucus temporarily suspended Grossberg from its membership and called for a separate investigation by the Legislative Ethics Commission.
Kentucky Young Democrats, a political activism group for Democrats younger than 40, also called on Grossberg to “resign from office immediately”
Representatives from the Democratic and Republican caucuses have not responded to Herald-Leader inquiries on the matter.
Republicans hold a four-fifths majority in the House, which means the GOP ultimately controls committee assignments and the vast majority of legislation.
Whites expressed frustration that the action barred Grossberg, who won election to the Louisville district in 2022 and narrowly defeated a primary opponent this year, from representing his constituents.
An estimated 46,000 people live in Grossberg’s House District 30. It’s one of the most diverse districts in the state, with a population that’s roughly 41% Black, 33% white, 18% Hispanic and 7% Asian.
“It just looks like more political infighting, and this time it’s harming tens of thousands of racially diverse constituents. I don’t recall a time ever when a House District has been told ‘no, your representative cannot represent you,’” Whites told the Herald-Leader.
In an earlier defense of Grossberg, Whites said the lawmaker has a “neurodivergent diagnosis,” placing him on the autism spectrum, which means his brain processes information differently.
This story was originally published August 15, 2024 at 11:33 AM.
