The Kentucky House may take up further investigation into allegations of sexual harassment in the legislature. Late last year, a committee looking into allegations against former Representative John Arnold disbanded without launching a formal investigation.
House Speaker Greg Stumbo told reporters Friday that he received a letter from the chair of that panel. And the committee may resume its work this year, if the House think that's necessary.
“I think that the House will ultimately have to decide what happens, whether that letter is considered a report, whether that report is adopted or not, and whether a new committee is to be appointed or the old committee is to go back and finish its work," he said.
Although the committee had nothing to show after meeting five times and spending thousands of taxpayer dollars, Stumbo says there’s still a chance for it to continue its mission.
He says that if he were in charge, the outcome would have been different.
“I took the position, because I think it’s legally correct, that I couldn’t interfere with the committee’s investigation," Stumbo said. "It was an independent investigation, and I had filed the petition. It was up to the committee. I can tell you that, as a former prosecutor, if I had been in charge of that committee, I think it would’ve probably gone in a different direction.”
Stumbo says it will be up to House members to decide if they want to form a new investigative committee, or to regroup the old one.