Recapping the sexual misconduct investigation of Rep. Daniel Grossberg
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Investigation into Louisville Rep. Daniel Grossberg
A Herald-Leader investigation into allegations of sexual harassment involving Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville, revealed he intimidated and harassed multiple women in and around Kentucky politics. He also was allegedly aggressive and threatening toward dancers in a Louisville strip club.
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The Herald-Leader has published multiple stories in the past three weeks detailing allegations of sexual harassment by a Louisville Democratic lawmaker based on interviews with six women in and around Kentucky politics about their experiences with him.
State Rep. Daniel Grossberg, a first-term legislator who is running unopposed in November, and his attorney Anna Whites have steadfastly denied any impropriety or misuse of his power.
The Herald-Leader is not publicly identifying any of the women who have made claims against Grossberg due to their fear of retaliation in the tight-knit political world of Frankfort and the sensitive nature of the allegations.
Reporters have reviewed more than 75 messages Grossberg sent to the women to verify their authenticity, as well as texts the women sent to family and friends at the time detailing how the exchanges made them feel.
The reporting has prompted the Kentucky Young Democrats to call for his resignation and led to House Democratic leaders to ask for an ethics investigation, suspend him from the caucus and strip him of all interim committee assignments and his office space.
The 45-year-old lawmaker is married to a school teacher.
As this story continues to develop, here is a timeline of reporting and events thus far:
July 30: Allegations become public
The Herald-Leader published the first story outlining “weird” and “creepy” messages Grossberg sent to three women.
The messages would often come late at night. He complimented one woman for her “exotic” appearance, and described how “beautiful” another one was.
The women confirmed to the Herald-Leader they’d been contacted by the Legislative Research Commission for an investigation into the freshman lawmaker within the previous two weeks. A fourth source with knowledge of the investigation also confirmed it was taking place.
The commission, commonly known as the LRC in Frankfort, did not confirm the existence of the investigation.
Grossberg denied he’d done anything wrong.
“I never, in my work, approached or crossed a line in my professional communications. Any claim that private texts on my personal cell phone are work related have no merit. I steadfastly deny any impropriety,” Grossberg said in a statement from Whites.
July 31: Call for an ethics investigation
House Democratic members voted to temporarily suspend Grossberg from the caucus and called for the Legislative Ethics Commission to investigate the claims against him. He represents about 45,000 constituents in Louisville who are part of the 30th House District.
“We believe this is the appropriate organization to review the issues that have been raised,” Democratic leaders wrote in a statement. “Given the sensitive nature of these allegations, we have no further comment at this time.”
The Herald-Leader also revealed that in a group text with two women in April 2023, Grossberg suggested they join him for a “lesbian-themed movie night” that involved “lesbian baking” and “pajamas.”
After that exchange, one of the women wrote in a text to the other, “I just don’t know how to process state rep 30 daniel grossberg suggesting a lesbian slumber party.”
Aug. 1: Young Dems demand immediate resignation
Two days after the initial Herald-Leader article, Kentucky Young Democrats, a political activism group for Democrats younger than 40, called on Grossberg to resign “immediately.”
“Since these allegations were made public in Tuesday’s Herald-Leader article, several members of our organization have come to us with their own stories detailing Rep. Grossberg’s inappropriate behavior towards them,” the group said in a statement.
The group said it will be “internally reviewing the allegations reported to us regarding Rep. Grossberg’s behavior toward our members,” as well as “reviewing our anti-harassment policies to ensure that our organization continues to be a safe place for all our members.”
Whites said Grossberg had no intention of resigning.
“The calls for resignation appear to be based solely on rumors,” Whites said in a statement, adding her client “has not been provided with any allegations of sexual misconduct and does not believe such evidence exists.”
Kentucky Young Democrats President Allison Wiseman told the Herald-Leader the vote among the seven-member executive board to call on Grossberg to resign was “nearly unanimous.”
Aug. 6: Examining Grossberg’s background
With Grossberg under investigation for his alleged misconduct, the Herald-Leader dove into his legislative and business background.
Grossberg was elected in 2022 when he ousted 90-year-old Democratic Rep. Tom Burch from a four-decade tenure. Grossberg is one of 20 Democrats in the 100-member Kentucky House of Representatives. The GOP supermajority means Democrat-sponsored legislation rarely becomes law.
Grossberg has, however, been outspoken in favor of civil rights, gun control and legal access to reproductive rights for women, including abortion, and he frequently denounces antisemitism.
The Herald-Leader also reported he owns several real estate investment companies that are in bad standing with the secretary of state’s office, pending dissolution, according to the office’s website.
In 2011, Grossberg joined Semonin Realtors in Louisville as a sales associate. But his license expired on March 31, 2024, with no public record of discipline, according to the Kentucky Real Estate Commission.
Aug. 8: Satirical ‘Sketchy Dan’ column surfaces
In 2003, Grossberg wrote a satirical advice column at Grinnell College under the name “Sketchy Dan,” where he recommended that “lonely,” “horny” and “creepy” young men aggressively pursue women on campus, even if the women weren’t interested, the Herald-Leader reported.
The column and its title, in the Iowa school’s satirical newspaper, were a play on Grossberg’s public reputation for making women uncomfortable around campus, and he doled out advice to fake letter-writers who claimed to have similar experiences.
Readers wrote in letters to the editor published in the campus newspaper that Grossberg made people uncomfortable, and they debated whether his “sketchy” reputation was fair.
Whites again denied Grossberg had acted inappropriately. She said the lawmaker has a “neurodivergent diagnosis,” placing him on the autism spectrum, which means his brain processes information differently.
As for Grossberg’s “Sketchy Dan” column, Whites said, “I think we all said and did things in college that we’re not always proud of.”
Devan Allen McGranahan, then vice president of the Student Government Association at Grinnell, told the Herald-Leader he spoke with administrators at the college’s Division of Student Affairs about complaints made against Grossberg.
“I had been contacted by so many of my female peers that I tried to see if there was anything student government could do to represent their concerns,” he said.
College officials, contacted by the Herald-Leader, declined comment
Aug. 15: Grossberg booted from committees
House Democratic leadership informed Grossberg Aug. 13 he had been removed from his interim committee assignments in the House of Representatives, the Herald-Leader reports.
Grossberg and his team are “looking at appropriate legal response” to the action “because it effectively disenfranchises his constituents,” Whites said. She added no reason was given when he was informed of the move.
“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,” a statement from House Democrats reads.
The Democrats did not specify what new information they had received.
LRC spokesperson Mike Wynn told the Herald-Leader the organization is still “reviewing information” on Grossberg’s conduct.
Aug. 16: Grossberg hits back at allegations
Grossberg responded to several allegations made against him — many of which were not previously public — in a lengthy news release from Whites.
Whites said there was “no evidence” of sexual harassment in the complaint against Grossberg.
“The only text that discusses inappropriate communications is a reference by a (third) party to that third party hearing rumors about inappropriate communication from other unnamed third parties at some unnamed time,” Whites wrote. “Rumors have no place in a fact-based hearing.”
House Democrats criticized Whites’ “desire to litigate this in the press” with alleged misrepresentations.
“These investigations are designed to be confidential to protect those who come forward with their accounts of impropriety,” the statement said. “We continue to honor that intent as best we can given Rep. Grossberg’s attorney’s desire to litigate this in the press with misrepresentations rather than through proper confidential channels.”
The letter from Whites also included point-by-point pushback against previous ethical issues alleged around Grossberg’s purchase of a car as well as yet unreported instances of a fundraising call, an offer to assist a legislator who was receiving harassing messages and an official letter sent to high school students who attended a trip he chaperoned.
Aug. 20: More women come forward
The Herald-Leader reports a new round of allegations from more three women, ages 26 to 28, who described problematic interactions with Grossberg.
The newest allegations included inappropriate, harassing or sexually-tinged text or direct social media messages.
“I deny any allegations of sexual harassment or abuse of office,” Grossberg emailed to the Herald-Leader when presented with the allegations. “I sincerely apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable because of something I said or wrote.”
The allegations include:
- Woman A recounted meeting with Grossberg in his Frankfort office after a legislative hearing. The woman, who was 26 at the time, recounted Grossberg repeatedly asking her to drink bourbon despite her refusals, and consumed multiple shots himself. Grossberg went on to ask the woman, who is trans, about her genitals, her sex life and whether she had gender-reassignment surgery.
- Woman B, who is 26 and involved in Democratic politics, shared several different occasions in 2024, both in person, through texts and in other messaging apps Grossberg where repeatedly made comments she considered harassing or threatening. He asked questions about her sexual orientation and expressed serious romantic interest, she said. Woman B also said Grossberg told her if she were to learn what his porn preferences were, “I would never forgive him,” she recounted in a text to a friend. He also “relentlessly” asked for nude photos.
- Woman C shared messages of Grossberg calling her “beautiful,” telling her that he loved her and saying he had a “crush” on her. In 2023, Grossberg asked Woman C out for a drink in another late-night text and inquired about the year that she graduated high school. When she answered the following morning — she agreed to get a drink but never did — he responded “there’s something about” girls from that particular high school, punctuating it with a winking emoticon: “;-).”
Aug. 21: Calls for resignation continue
In light of the newest Herald-Leader reporting, more Democrats begin to voice their concerns about Grossberg’s alleged conduct.
Gov. Andy Beshear calls the allegations “very concerning.” Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said it is “infuriating” that women are “still being subjected to the kinds of harassment that has been reported.”
Neither called for Grossberg to resign.
Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge released a statement saying the allegations laid out in the Herald-Leader’s reporting “raise serious concerns.” The Louisville Democratic Party posted on social media it finds the allegations in the recently published story “extremely disturbing.”
Randy Cravens, the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, R-KY, in the Republican-leaning Sixth Congressional District, said “he must resign.”
Robert Kahne, a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and co-host of the Democratic show My Old Kentucky Podcast, and Jason Perkey, a Democratic operative who led state parties in Kansas and South Carolina, both called on Grossberg to resign.
Aug. 29: Louisville Dems bar Grossberg from events, Beshear weighs in again
The Louisville Democratic Party announces via social media post that it has asked Grossberg not to attend local party events while the “investigation is in process.”
“We are dedicated to ending all forms of harassment by fostering a culture of inclusivity, providing robust support systems, and holding ourselves accountable,” the statement said. “We believe that every individual deserves an environment free from harassment, and we are resolute in our efforts to ensure this standard is met.”
Through Whites, Grossberg said he appreciated the party’s “concern for all parties in this matter.”
“I will continue to focus on serving constituents while the Ethics Commission completes its review,” he said in a statement.
The calls for Grossberg’s resignation continued to grow.
Emma Curtis, a candidate for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council who was one of the leading protesters against Senate Bill 150 in 2023, and Teri Carter, a progressive writer and activist, both called for Grossberg to resign, the Herald-Leader reports.
Some within the Democratic ranks have expressed frustration that more haven’t joined in on calls for the legislator to step down.
Wiseman, the Kentucky Young Democrats president, called organizations who stop short of calling on Grossberg to resign “tepid.”
A few hours later, Beshear issued a more forceful response to the Grossberg allegations following a Herald-Leader question at his weekly press conference.
“I hope Rep. Grossberg is giving serious thought and having discussions with family members about whether a public office is the best or most appropriate place for him to be at this time,” Beshear said.
Whites said Grossberg had no plans to resign.
“Rep. Grossberg has given serious thought to his public service daily since elected. He plans to continue to serve his constituents in the role he was elected to while (the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission) completes its process,” she said.
Kentucky Democratic Party Executive Director Morgan Eaves appeared to co-sign Beshear’s take when she re-posted a story about the governor’s comments on X, simply writing, “Agreed.”
Sept. 6: Lexington, Louisville young Democrat groups in call for his resignation
Young Democrats in Kentucky’s two most populous counties — Jefferson and Fayette — as well as a former campaign staffer, called on Grossberg to resign, citing the allegations outlined in the Herald-Leader’s reporting.
Louisville Young Democrats, of which Grossberg was past president said they were “deeply disturbed by the allegations made against (Grossberg) as reported by the Herald-Leader,” and said his resignation is “what is best for our members, our party and our state to move forward.”
In a separate statement, the Fayette County Young Democrats called on him to “resign immediately,” adding that his alleged conduct “has not place in our commonwealth.”
Sept. 10: Legislature’s Ethics Commission votes to launch their investigation
Following a closed-door session wherein members were apprised of allegations against Grossberg, the Legislative Ethics Commission voted unanimously to begin a formal investigation into whether the lawmaker has behaved unethically.
The commission’s vote is in response to House Democratic leadership’s complaint against Grossberg. They requested an ethics investigation on July 31, after the Herald-Leader published its first story on the matter.
The decision to investigate means there is a “reason to believe (Grossberg) has committed or is about to commit a violation” of the state ethics code, commission Chair Dave Nicholas said Tuesday.
“This determination means only that the alleged violations merit further inquiry and is not a finding that (Grossberg) has violated the ethics code,” he added.
This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 4:45 AM.
