Jeremy Durham Is Exiled From The Tennessee Statehouse Because He's A "Risk" To Women

I have often wondered why the GOP is so afraid of bathrooms, and what goes on in them, that they opt to legislate who can and cannot use this bathroom or that one. I mean, it’s the GOP folks need to be worried about when you have to pee; what if Republican Larry Craig is wide-stancing in the men’s room? What if disgraced GOP Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert is in a locker room molesting young boys again? What about Jeremy Durham in Tennessee?

Oh, you haven’t heard of Durham? Well, he’s the Tennessee Republican Representative who is having his offices moved out of the statehouse because of his inappropriate actions towards women.

Yup; Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell announced last week that she is moving Jeremy Durham's office to the ground floor of a building across the street and limiting his access to committee rooms and the House chamber to only when meetings are taking place because there is an investigation into the Durham’s “pattern of conduct" toward women.

After interviewing 34 current and former lawmakers, lobbyists, staffers and interns, allegations have surfaced that Jeremy Durham tried to initiate contact about non-legislative matters and to meet women alone; he used alcohol in his interaction with women; he made comments of a sexual nature and engaged in inappropriate physical contact with women.

And rather than drum him out of the legislature, they just moved him to another room.

It was Attorney General Herbert Slatery who recommended that the House take action to avoid a hostile work environment:

"Representative Durham's alleged behavior may pose a continuing risk to unsuspecting women who are employed by or interact with the Legislature."

Of course, Jeremy Durham has denied any wrongdoing and is running for re-election this fall and has said he would not comply with Republican leaders' requests for resignation:

"I know for a fact I've never sexually harassed anybody. If I've sent a text message that I shouldn't have, and someone will present it to me I'm happy to address it, and I'll take responsibility."

But, this past January, Jeremy Durham stepped down as House majority whip and also withdrew from the House GOP caucus altogether amid the allegations of inappropriate behavior, both in person and via text messages. He then took a two-week “hiatus” to seek unspecified medical and pastoral counseling.

Perhaps he shared a room with Josh Duggar? Just sayin’.

But in all seriousness, the GOP needs to keep an eye on their own before they continue this march against transgender Americans because there hasn’t been one single report of inappropriate behavior by a trans person in a restroom, but we’ve heard all kinds of stories about the things Republicans do behind closed doors.

CBS News