State Reps Want Official Ousted For Mocking Sexual Assault Victim

COLUMBUS, OH — State Representative Bill Seitz, Republican from Cincinnati, is in hot water after he made several disparaging comments about colleagues during a roast last week. Now four female Democratic state representatives want Seitz to resign.

Reports indicate that Seitz, during the roast, made light of a sexual harassment claims against Senator Cliff Hite and called Butler County Representative Candice Keller a "nut," the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. After news of the comments surfaced, several prominent Ohio politicians criticized Seitz.

Four female Democratic lawmakers, State Representatives Nickie Antonio (Lakewood), Teresa Fedor (Toledo), Michele Lepore-Hagan (Youngstown) and Kathleen Clyde (Kent) wrote a letter to Speaker of the Ohio House Cliff Rosenberger, asking him to remove Seitz from power and ask for Seitz's resignation.

"This conduct falls far short of the standard by which elected officials should conduct themselves. Not only is it a black eye on the institution, it is a danger to women. I urge you, Mr. Speaker, to remove this member from his leadership role and ask that he resign immediately from the Ohio House," the letter to Rosenberger said.

Seitz has apologized for his comments, but the four lawmakers want more. Rosenberger, on Wednesday, said that he would not subject Seitz to further punishment and Seitz has said he does not intend to resign.

"Sexual harassment and assault is not something to be laughed away by men in power. No woman should ever feel unsafe at work, uneasy to perform the essential duties of her job," the letter said. "This conduct perpetuates the “good ol’ boys” culture all too familiar to women in workplaces across the nation. Women deserve better—not more of the same tired excuses. When elected officials contribute to a hostile work environment, it is time for a change. Apologies are not enough."

The lawmakers conclude by saying that politicians cannot be allowed to turn the Statehouse into a "playground."

"Taking responsibility means doing what is hard and holding perpetrators of workplace harassment accountable for their actions," the letter concludes.

(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)