KY Democratic Party votes to bar Grossberg accused of sexual misconduct from events
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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 Kentucky Democratic Party has voted to ban Rep. Daniel Grossberg from party events and is calling for his resignation as the freshman legislator faces a growing number of allegations about sexually inappropriate messages and incidents.
“Given Representative Grossberg’s disturbing record of misconduct, the Kentucky Democratic Party’s State Central Executive Committee passed a resolution that calls for his resignation and prohibits him from attending Kentucky Democratic Party events,” party spokesman Jonathan Levin said in a statement Saturday.
“As KDP Chair (Colmon) Elridge said, Representative Grossberg has repeatedly proven that he is unfit to serve and must resign from office immediately.”
On Friday, the Kentucky House of Representatives’ Democratic Caucus voted to expel Grossberg, who had previously been suspended from caucusing with fellow Democrats.
Grossberg, of Louisville, has been effectively shut out by his party after a series of reports by the Herald-Leader in which multiple women have accused him of inappropriate advances, interactions and communications.
The Herald-Leader reported Friday that Grossberg was banned for life from a Louisville strip club after one dancer said he moved her underwear to try to touch her genitals as she performed. Another said he had offered her $5,000 for sex.
Previously, six women have come forward to say that he sent them sexually charged messages or interacted with them in a way that made them feel uncomfortable.
Grossberg has denied sexually harassing the women or abusing his office.
“Like many people my age, I have been to adult clubs, including Foxy’s (sic.),” he said in a statement in response to the most recent report. “I have never solicited prostitution from anyone, nor have I referenced my office to gain advantage.
“The allegations get more outlandish with each story, but they won’t stop me from continuing to work tirelessly to serve my constituents.”
His attorney, Anna Whites, has said he has a “neurodivergent diagnosis” placing him on the autism spectrum and that the messages Grossberg sent and actions he’s accused of have been “taken out of context for the purposes of media stories.”
Gov. Andy Beshear and a number of other legislators have called for his resignation.
Grossberg, who was elected in 2022 to represent the 30th House District, is running unopposed in the November election.
Herald-Leader politics reporter Austin Horn contributed to this report.
This story was originally published September 21, 2024 at 2:54 PM.
