A Republican State Representative has been accused of inappropriate sexual conduct.
Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports.
Republican Representative Rick Perales is being accused of an inappropriate relationship with constituent Jocelyn Smith, who says Perales choked and kissed her against her will three years ago. Smith is now running against Perales in the primary. Brad Miller, a spokesman for House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, says Rosenberger knew there had been some interaction between the two in the past but just learned about the allegation of physical abuse, and that the speaker takes these matters very seriously. But he says things are at an information gathering stage and that Rosenberger is not rushing to judgement. Last year two Republican lawmakers resigned for inappropriate conduct, and two others apologized for remarks made at a party earlier this year.