Texas House Committee Calls for Rep. Slaton to be Ejected for ‘Inappropriate Sexual Conduct’

AUSTIN (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A Representative from the State of North Texas may be forced out of the Legislature.

On Saturday, the House General Investigative Committee recommended that the entire House eject Republican Representative Bryan Slaton of Royse City, after an investigation found he engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a 19-year-old female member of his staff.

The committee chair, Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Kerrville, addressed the House chamber Saturday. “This committee unanimously recommends the discipline of Representative Slaton by expelling him from a member of this body. The expulsion of a colleague is a level of punishment that we do not take lightly. It is not intended to punish the member, but to protect the integrity and dignity of this legislative body”.

Murr said the entire House would vote Tuesday on the ouster of Slaton, who takes his seat in 2021.

The allegations against Slaton first surfaced last month, and the House committee has hired a former judge to lead an investigation.

Slaton, who is married with one child, is accused of having sex with the woman late at night in her Austin apartment.

Murr said, “We find that Rep. Slaton engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate. That behavior was induced by alcohol that Rep. Slaton supplied to that 19-year-old subordinate.”

According to the report, the woman told the investigator that she felt intimidated and threatened.

“Rep. Slaton then took systematic action to influence those subordinate and multiple witnesses and obstruct an investigation into the matter to the detriment of both our chamber and those who work here,” Murr said.

The report said Slaton admitted what happened to another unidentified lawmaker.

CBS News Texas has reached out to Slaton’s legislative office and his attorney asking for comment, but we have not heard back.