As the family of Kentucky Lawmaker mourns the loss of their loved one, the Republican's wife will seek to replace him in the state legislature. The lawmaker killed himself after accusations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl.
The announcement was made by Rebecca Johnson in a news release sent to The Associated Press. Dan Johnson killed himself Wednesday night. David Adams, a political operative who worked for Dan Johnson, confirmed Rebecca Johnson’s intentions.
During the news release, Rebecca Johnson referred to her husband’s death as a “high-tech lynching based on lies and half-truths.”
A story was published by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting earlier this week detailing accusations that Johnson sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in 2013. The police conducted investigations into the matter but they never filed charges. The police re-opened the investigation after the story provoked them.
The accusations had been branded as ‘’totally false’’ by Dan Johnson.
Dan Johnson had been accused of sexual assault and the matter was revealed as a sexual harassment scandal involving four other Republican lawmakers in the case which was unfolding at the state Capitol.
Jeff Hoover, who’s the former Republican House Speaker resigned his leadership position after acknowledging he secretly settled a sexual harassment claim with a member of his staff. Three other lawmakers were involved in the settlement, and all lost their committee chairmanships.
“I am very sad over the passing of Rep. Dan Johnson. Over the past few weeks in some of the darkest days of my life, he reached out to me, encouraged me, and prayed for me,” Hoover posted on his Twitter account Wednesday night. “Prayers for his wife, children, grandchildren and all affected by this sad event.”
