Leach On Misconduct Allegations: 'This Has Gotten Out Of Hand'

In the wake of accusations of inappropriate behavior, Montgomery County's State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17) changed course in a second statement Monday, alleging harassment by the press while striking a more conciliatory note. He also said that he would take a step back from his budding campaign for U.S. Congress in 2018.

"All of this has gotten out of hand," he wrote Monday afternoon, the day after a Philadelphia Inquirer report quoted former staffers who claimed that Leach had inappropriately touched female employees and steered conversations in a sexual direction.

Leach, whose 17th district covers Norristown, Upper Merion, and the surrounding area, has been in the state senate since 2009. This past July, he announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress in the 7th district, a seat currently held by Republican U.S. Congressman Pat Meehan.

"Today, I am taking a step back from the congressional campaign to focus on my family and work with Senate leaders to address these allegations and fully cooperate with them as they are all vetted," he added.

The statement, posted to his Facebook page, replaced and seemed to correct an earlier statement which adamantly denied the allegations.

"While I've always been a gregarious person, it's heartbreaking to me that I have put someone in a position that made them feel uncomfortable or disrespected," he said, striking a more apologetic note than in his original post. "In the future I will take more care in my words and my actions, and I will make it my top priority to protect those who to speak up to help change the culture around us."

Leach's original statement, posted on his Facebook page Monday morning, claimed that a political opponent, who was not named, was behind a smear campaign against him that began in June. Leach alleged that one of the few former staffers who agreed to be named in the Inquirer's allegations, Aubrey Montgomery, was very close with that opponent. He also said that Montgomery had been a vocal supporter of Leach's campaigns for years and that she'd told him it was an "honor" to be a part of his work.

The Inquirer report and numerous published statements from others have noted that Leach is known for his sometimes-racy humor; Leach alleged early Monday that Montgomery and others were just as bawdy as he.

In social media posts, Matt Goldfine, the Field Director of Leach's 2008 state senate campaign, backed up Montgomery's allegations.

The opponent who Leach alleges is behind the smear campaign has not been named. It's not known if Goldfine and Montgomery, who have both worked for numerous Democratic campaigns, have any connection to that opponent. Leach is expected to face several Democratic opponents in the primary race for the 7th district in 2018.

In the updated post on Monday afternoon, Leach added that the press is banging on his windows and chasing his family, and requested privacy.

Leach is a vocal progressive who is known for his humor in speeches and on social media. In February, he gained national attention when he called President Trump a "fascist, loofa-faced s***-gibbon."

(AP Photo/Marc Levy)