This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate
Empty seats in the Texas House of Representatives in 2021.
Matthew Busch/For The San Antonio Express-News
Conservative Republicans are slamming their colleague, state Rep. Bryan Slaton, after reports emerged this week of an ethics complaint filed against him alleging he had an inappropriate relationship with an intern.
So far, two GOP lawmakers have called for Slaton to resign, and a third has proposed amending a bill creating the criminal offense of child grooming to specifically target his alleged activity. All of the members rebuking Slaton are, like him, among the most conservative of the Texas Legislature and typically agree with him politically.
'TEXIT' BILL AUTHOR: Slaton's bill calls for advisory vote on Texas secession
Slaton, a former Baptist minister and youth pastor from North Texas, has not responded to the allegations, aside from his attorney putting out a statement calling them "outrageous" and "false."
State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, expressed contempt for Slaton without mentioning his name Friday, while rumors were swirling before the ethics complaint had emerged.
“I am absolutely furious at a Republican whom I believe to be a sexual predator. I’ve never been so ticked off at another legislator,” Cain wrote on Twitter . "He should resign now."
On Tuesday morning, state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, also called for Slaton to step down.
“The past few days in the Texas House screams of everything that’s wrong with a small segment of its elected officials. Unfortunately calling the behavior of (Slaton) ‘inappropriate’ is a gross understatement,” Toth wrote. “He needs to resign. Now!"
Some Democrats have agreed Slaton should step down.
Later Tuesday, state Sen. Drew Springer, also a hard-line conservative, took his criticism a step further and suggested Slaton's behavior be called out on the Senate floor during discussion of the child grooming bill.
"I have an amendment that enhances the penalty for legislators that groom someone below 21," Springer said, alluding to the allegation that the intern with whom Slaton had a relationship is 19 years old.
The bill, Senate Bill 1562 , is set to be heard this week.
taylor.goldenstein@houstonchronicle.com
