NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rep. Rick Staples (D-Knoxville) resigned from his leadership position of Assistant House Minority Leader, a news release from Democratic Caucus Chairmain Ken Jobe said Thursday afternoon.
The resignation follows the House Ethics Subcommittee's findings that Staples had violated the General Assembly's sexual harassment policy.
Staples was then instructed to take "preventative action."
In a statement in response to the findings, Staples said he decided to step down from the post to "end the unwarranted suffering on my family, continue to serve my constituents unimpeded and end any distractions this may bring to the Tennessee House."
Staples started the statement with "I have already publicly apologized for any distress I unintentionally caused."
Staples also said he planned to continue to serve District 15 and would have no further comment on the matter.
House Speaker Glen Casada's office had received a letter from the House Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee on April 1 that said the panel had met to review several complaints against Rep. Rick Staples of Knoxville.
"Representative Staples has been directed to take preventative action individually to ensure that the violation does not reoccur and report back to the Ethics Subcommittee. Other remedial measures have also been instituted to ensure that the harassment does not reoccur and to correct the effects of the harassment," the letter stated.
Read Staples's full statement below.
“I have already publicly apologized for any distress I unintentionally caused. I have decided to step down from my leadership position of Assistant House Minority Leader so I can end the unwarranted suffering on my family, continue to serve my constituents unimpeded and end any distractions this may bring to the Tennessee House. I look forward to following the recommendations of the Ethics Committee and pledge to remain the best servant to my constituency of District 15. I’ll have no further comment going forward on this matter.”