The powerful chairman of the Arizona state House Appropriations Committee was suspended from his post on Friday after eight women accused him of inappropriate sexual advances.
The lawmaker, Rep. Don Shooter (R), is one of more than a dozen state legislators who face allegations of sexual harassment or improper behavior in capitals across the country, as female lawmakers, lobbyists and staff increasingly speak up about what many call a pervasive culture of mistreatment.
The allegations cross party and state lines, targeting some of the most powerful men in state government, from Kentucky’s House Speaker to the chairmen of prominent committees in Florida and Minnesota.
And many of the women who have made their accusations public have strongly hinted that other legislators will be implicated in the coming days or weeks.
In just the last few weeks, some legislative leaders have implemented new training requirements or created new avenues for those who have been harassed to make formal complaints. Others have launched investigations into colleagues accused of inappropriate behavior, or stripped the accused of leadership posts.
But other states have been slower to act: Despite the multiple allegations, Arizona House Speaker J.D. Mesnard (R) did not suspend Shooter until several hours after The Hill contacted his office for a response to criticism from a fellow Republican lawmaker who has alleged Shooter harassed her.
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