Utah
Utah Dems extend state Sen. Gene Davis’ suspension, call on him to resign
Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake Metropolis, speaks on a invoice on the Capitol in Salt Lake Metropolis on March 3. Davis has been suspended by Utah Democrats after a former intern alleged in a social media publish that he sexually harassed her throughout this 12 months’s legislative session. (Mengshin Lin, Deseret Information)
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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Democratic Get together leaders are calling on longtime Utah state Sen. Gene Davis to step down amid a probe of misconduct allegations launched final week, which they are saying has uncovered “a number of credible allegations of misconduct.”
Thom DeSirant, the chief director of the celebration, mentioned the Utah Democratic Get together Government Committee additionally voted on Friday to increase Davis’ short-term suspension to incorporate “all celebration occasions at any stage,” pending the result of an unbiased investigation that the Utah State Senate additionally introduced final week.
Each Utah Democratic Get together leaders and the Utah State Senate started investigating Davis after a former intern took to social media to accuse the senator of inappropriate touching throughout her internship earlier this 12 months. Davis has not returned KSL.com’s requires remark, however did deny the allegation in an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune final week.
Within the electronic mail to celebration members initially despatched Friday, DeSirant wrote that the celebration’s investigation uncovered sufficient that celebration leaders requested Davis to “voluntarily step down” earlier than extending his suspension.
“(We) imagine the conduct he acknowledged, no matter context or intent, was unacceptable,” DeSirant wrote. “Finally, we discover ourselves confronted with a number of credible allegations of misconduct by Senator Davis and should err in favor of the protection and well-being of our members.”
The celebration director added that Utah Democrats need the ultimate outcomes of the Senate’s investigation handed over to them as soon as the investigation wraps up for “additional evaluate and motion.” DeSirant added that the celebration is reviewing its anti-harassment procedures for future enhancements.
Davis, of Salt Lake Metropolis, has served within the Utah Legislature since 1987. He started within the Home of Representatives earlier than shifting to Senate in 1999, although he was ousted by group organizer Nate Blouin within the Democratic Get together’s major election earlier this 12 months earlier than the allegations emerged.