Opinion: Senate handled McGee situation well

The Idaho Press-Tribune in Nampa published an editorial Wednesday commending Idaho Senate leaders for their management of claims that one of their own had sexually harassed a female Senate aide. 

Here is the Press-Tribune piece: 

Regardless of how you feel about the political positions he took, you have to feel for former District 10 Sen. John McGee and his family. His once-promising political career is apparently over, his job could be at risk and his family has had to deal with a very public array of embarrassing allegations and convictions in the last nine months.

Politics is a rough-and-tumble affair, but at the end of the day, we’re still just human beings.

That said, credit must be given to McGee’s colleagues in the Idaho Senate, who responded quickly, definitively and properly last week when McGee was charged with sexual harassment of an adult legislative employee.

Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis of Idaho Falls and Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill of Rexburg were advised of the allegation on Monday, Feb. 20 and met with the accuser later that day. Hill says he told McGee he could either resign or Hill would appoint an ethics committee to investigate. Admitting no wrongdoing, McGee resigned on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

When McGee was charged with DUI and theft of a vehicle last summer, it was done on his own time and not within his duties at the Idaho Legislature. Republicans had to determine whether his conduct on his personal time should determine his future as Canyon County Republican chairman and Idaho Senate GOP Caucus chairman. Most party officials agreed it shouldn’t.

But the sexual harassment claim is based on an alleged incident this legislative session, which places it within the purview of his position as a state senator. That’s a safety issue that affects the legislative body, and party leaders did the right thing. They didn’t mess around or drag their feet.

The Attorney General’s Office has been asked to investigate. Some might be suspicious of that because Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and McGee are both Canyon County Republicans.

But Wasden has proven himself to be anything but a partisan hack. After all, he’s suing his fellow Republican Land Board members, including Gov. Butch Otter and fellow Nampan Superintendent Tom Luna, because he believes the state isn’t getting the maximum financial return on premium “cottage” sites on Payette Lake as required by the state Constitution.

It’s important to stress that McGee hasn’t been convicted of sexual harassment. Like anyone else, he deserves his day in court. Now District 10 must move on.

 AP Source:  www.idahopress.com