Gov. Beshear: Grossberg should give ‘serious thought’ to resigning amid harassment reports
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday said state Rep. Daniel Grossberg, who is being investigated for alleged inappropriate conduct, should give “serious thought” to resigning.
“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 Thursday.
The governor’s nudge came at his weekly press conference after the Herald-Leader asked whether he was planning to call on the Louisville Democrat to resign.
Beshear’s comments are more forceful than his initial response to the allegations, which he called “very concerning” last week, but stopped short of calling on Grossberg to resign or suggest he consider voluntarily doing so.
In spring of this year, the governor endorsed Grossberg in a primary race that saw the lawmaker prevail by a mere 50 votes over his Democratic challenger. Grossberg first gained office in 2022 when he defeated longtime incumbent Tom Burch, who was in his 90s at the time.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Grossberg, through his attorney Anna Whites, said, “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.”
Grossberg and Whites have, throughout the controversy, steadfastly denied any impropriety or misuse of his power.
In the last month, the Herald-Leader has published accounts from six women, detailing allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment by Grossberg.
After the first story published July 30, House Democrats called for an ethics investigation into his conduct. That probe is still ongoing.
In the most recent story, published last week, the Herald-Leader reported on the stories of two women who received inappropriate, harassing or sexually-tinged messages from Grossberg. A third woman in the story recounted an incident of alleged sexual harassment in Grossberg’s office wherein he consumed multiple alcoholic drinks in front of her and asked questions about her genitals and sex life.
Hours before Beshear’s comments, the Louisville Democratic Party asked the first-term lawmaker not to attend local party events or gatherings while the ethics investigation is “in process.”
“Though we understand the claims against representative Grossberg are allegations at this point in time, we are asking that he temporarily refrain from participating in (Louisville Democratic Party) events and meetings while the Legislative Ethics Commission investigation is in process,” the party’s statement reads, which was posted to X.
While Democrats have rebuked the allegations, most have stopped short of calling for his resignation, including Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, who called the women’s allegations “infuriating.”
Beshear on Thursday was more stern.
“These allegations are very concerning and have only become more concerning as more allegations have come forward,” he said.
After urging Grossberg to consider resigning, the governor added, “certainly we are watching and looking at those allegations very carefully. No one should be subjected to the type of conduct that’s contained in those allegations.”
The governor’s call was publicly echoed by at least one other prominent Kentucky Democrat Thursday afternoon.
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.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2024 at 1:47 PM.
