NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Former state Rep. Scotty Campbell claims in a new lawsuit that House Republican leader Jeremy Faison forced him to resign last year over sexual harassment allegations because Faison was afraid that similar allegations against him would be revealed.
Campbell, a Republican from Mountain City, resigned last April just six hours after NewsChannel 5 Investigates confronted him with the findings of an internal investigation from a legislative subcommittee that concluded he had acted inappropriately with at least one legislative intern.
"Once it became apparent that the media was aware of the subcommittee's conclusions regarding Mr. Campbell, he was forced to resign upon threat of being expelled — that day! — and losing his health insurance, etc., by Rep. Jeremy Faison, who is believed to have been conspiring with certain yet-to-be-determined others to keep the media from finding out that a complaint had also been filed against him," Campbell's attorney Tony Duncan argues in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Davidson County Circuit Court.
Faison chairs the House Republican Caucus, "and it would be very detrimental to his legislative career if news of the complaint against him ... came to light," the lawsuit contends.
In a separate case, a Davidson County chancellor recently revealed that there had been a workplace harassment complaint filed against Faison, although legislative officials later denied that there was any such complaint or investigation.
Campbell's lawsuit asks a judge to order legislative officials to give the former lawmaker access to records regarding the investigation of the sexual harassment complaint against him so that he can clear his name.
The lawsuit claims the original complaint was filed "by a legislative intern who had been flirting with him and spending time with him after work.... He asserts that the conversations he had with the intern were consensual, after work and not at work."
Campbell claims that the director of legislative administration, Connie Ridley, refused to look at text messages that he believed would exonerate him.
"In fact, when Mr. Campbell attempted to show her those messages, she held her hand up and gestured for him to stop," the lawsuit adds. "It is submitted that, as a matter of fairness, she would want to see those texts."
In a text message, Faison told NewsChannel 5 Investigates, "I stand by what the Speaker and Connie have said. There is no complaint against me."
Campbell released the following statement through his lawyer:
"It was the honor of my life to serve the people of my former district in the Tennessee House of Representatives. And I did that to the best of my ability and with all my heart.
"Unfortunately, earlier in this recent session, I was unnecessarily and unfairly forced to resign from the House. As a result of that forced resignation, and due to the Office of Legislative Administration’s recent rejection of my request for certain state records related to me during my time in the House, I have filed a petition in the Davidson County Circuit Court under the Tennessee Public Records Act to obtain the requested records, which I am entitled to receive as a matter of law.
"I look forward to obtaining those records, reviewing them, and to what may come from that review. I also look forward to what lies ahead for this great state and for me."
SPECIAL SECTION: Revealed
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