Lawmaker resigns over sexual advances at legislative staff

Chris Matheson, a British Labour Member of Parliament has resigned after he was indicted for making improper sexual advances at a junior legislative staff.

The Guardian is reporting that the parliament’s anti-bullying and harassment watchdog and the standards commissioner had both recommended Matheson for a four-week suspension over his sexual misconduct.

But the lawmaker, instead, offered to resign, triggering a bye-election in his constituency.

He apologized to his constituency for bringing disrepute upon them. Matheson however rejected the findings indicting him over the act, saying that it was replete with inaccuracies.

He also said he had “no sexual motivation in the matter”.

Matheson’s party, Labour also wielded the big stick, by suspending him while setting up an investigation into the allegation.  understood Labour has also suspended Matheson’s Labour party membership as well as launching an investigation.

But the embattled lawmaker pushed back against his party’s disciplinary action. He describes his suspension as an “excessive and unfair penalty”.