Kansas Democrats file complaint seeking censure or ouster of Rep. Aaron Coleman
Kansas House Democrats formally moved Tuesday to consider ousting Rep. Aaron Coleman, following allegations of domestic violence and social media threats against Gov. Laura Kelly and other women.
A complaint filed by House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer kicks off a rarely-used process in which Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman will appoint a bipartisan committee to investigate Coleman, 20, who unseated incumbent Stan Frownfelter of Kansas City, Kansas in last year’s primary.
It could end in the House voting to expel Coleman.
“I believe that everyone should be given a second chance, sometimes even a third chance, but Representative Coleman continues to show time and time again that he is unfit to serve in office,” Sawyer said in a statement. “We continue to condemn his actions and believe that there is sufficient evidence for the Legislature to begin an investigation into Mr. Coleman’s actions.”
Sawyer called Coleman a danger to women and said his removal is needed to ensure the safety of lawmakers and Capitol staff.
The complaint specifically suggests that Coleman be removed from office because of his “longstanding history of physically and emotionally abusive behavior.” It lists several instances which occurred before and after the election as evidence of a dangerous pattern of behavior.
Coleman has faced repeated allegations of abusive and inappropriate behavior with women, some of which he has acknowledged. He has been condemned for caustic and threatening social media comments.
Coleman also faced charges at the age of 14 for threatening a shooting at a school. Last month, a group of incoming Democratic female legislators called on him to resign.
Those lawmakers, including Stephanie Byers, Jennifer Day, Linda Featherston, Christina Haswood, Jo Ella Hoye , Mari-Lynn Poskin and Lindsay Vaughn, reiterated those calls Tuesday.
“Recent violence at the United States Capitol makes it even more important to hold elected officials to a higher standard,” they said in a statement. “Words matter. Actions matter. He is unfit to serve.”
Coleman said Tuesday that he believed Democrats would have “egg on their face” for their actions.
“The Democrats are petty and personal, and they’re really just showing that by focusing on character issues and not policy,” he said. “I’m focusing on governing and I wish my colleagues in the Democratic caucus would focus on pushing policy.”
In a statement posted to Twitter earlier Tuesday morning, Coleman announced he was leaving the Democratic party to become an independent because leadership had refused to assign him to committees, provide him with a staff or give him an office at the Capitol.
“The Democratic party left me, I didn’t leave it,” he said in the post.
Coleman has attempted to rally supporters by saying that removing him would amount to overturning the results of the election. If he is ultimately expelled from the House or resigns, Democratic officials in his Wyandotte County district would choose a replacement.
In an interview, Sawyer said the complaint was a response to Coleman’s treatment of women going back to when he was 12, including allegations that he choked and slapped a girlfriend in December 2019.
Sawyer dismissed Coleman’s arguments that his voters would be disenfranchised if he was removed from office.
“The voters will have a representative one way or another,” Sawyer said.
Last week, Coleman settled a stalking case filed against him by Brandie Armstrong, Frownfelter’s campaign manager.
If the committee does not remove Coleman from office, Sawyer said he hopes he will work well with others and not get in further trouble.
“So far he hasn’t really proved to be capable of that.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 1:17 PM.
