Allegations of Sexual Misconduct Shake Charles Schwertner District

A sleepwalk in central Texas came to life on Tuesday as allegations of sexual misconduct came to light against Senator Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown – which Schwertner has viciously denied, and his opponents could give their impetus.

The American American Statesman reported Tuesday that the University of Texas at Austin was investigating a charge that Schwertner sent sexually explicit material to a graduate student. A spokesman for Schwertner initially stated that the legislator "categorically denies knowledge of" this allegation. In an updated statement sent Wednesday to the Statesman, a spokesman said that "Schwertner had not sent any inappropriate text, as alleged.

Schwertner, who has been representing the district since 2013 and chairs the powerful health and social services committee, faces two women in the upcoming midterm elections: Democrat Meg Walsh and Libertarian Amy Lyons.

"If these allegations are true, Senator Schwertner is unfit to perform his duties," Walsh said in a statement released on Wednesday. "These serious allegations deserve a thorough and thorough investigation."

Walsh also noted in her statement that she has already dealt with harassment at work and that she "will never stop fighting for women and everyone to be treated with the respect that they have." they deserve.

In an interview with the Texas Tribune on Wednesday afternoon, Walsh reiterated his assertion that Schwertner is unfit to serve and said that if the allegations are true, it is a "serious abuse of power".

The Texas Democratic Party also called Schwertner "unfit" to make a statement Wednesday of Delma Limones, the party's press secretary.

"His previous behavior and his voting record already show us exactly who he is and what he feels for women," Limones said.

Like most of the 31 districts of Texas, Schwertner District 5 favorably favored Republicans. In 2016, Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton at this location by 20 percentage points, according to Texas Legislative Council data. Two years earlier, the same data show that Republican Greg Abbott beat Democrat Wendy Davis in his run for governor by more than 30 points.

Sue DeVillez, president of Republican women in Georgetown, told the Texas Tribune that she had been known to Schwertner since her first candidacy and that she does not believe the charges against him are true.

"I can not imagine that he has put his career on the line for something like this," said DeVillez. "He has always been a gentleman."

DeVillez emphasized the popularity of the senator in the district and said that she did not think the senator was in danger of losing his seat in November.

Lyons, the libertarian candidate who opposes Schwertner, said she believes that Schwertner deserves due process and should cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

"Many conservative people will be shocked by this claim because it goes against many of the values ​​that typically accompany this category," Lyons said. "I hope the tax conservatives will follow me instead."

In addition to the conservative voting record, the Schwertner campaign has significantly more financial resources than its competitors. By June 30, his campaign totaled nearly $ 1.7 million, against $ 34,672 for Walsh and $ 123 for Lyon, according to the Texas Ethics Commission.

Although Schwertner is unlikely to lose his seat in November, a slight demonstration of his re-election could potentially endanger other Republicans in the polls whose districts overlap with those of Schwertner.

Bill Fairbrother, chairman of the Williamson County Republican Party, said state representative Tony Dale of R-Cedar Park is in a "purplish and competitive district" that intersects with Schwertner. Clinton beat Trump in this district by less than 3 percentage points in 2016, according to data from the Texas Legislative Council.

In a statement, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who oversees the Texas Senate, said he was "deeply concerned about the serious allegations" and that he "had not been aware of the investigation before having read the press release ".

"I was also concerned yesterday to see that many University of Texas officials have spoken to the media, potentially jeopardizing the integrity of a serious investigation. I ask the university to complete its investigation in a professional manner, protecting the right to privacy of both parties, "said Patrick." The Texas Senate is waiting for the conclusion of the investigation. and awaits a full report on this issue.

Steps away from the Schwertner District Office in Georgetown on Wednesday afternoon, the news of the allegation of sexual misconduct seemed to be spread slowly. Among the voters who knew Schwertner and who had heard of the allegation against him, many said that they could not judge until they learned more details.

"I'm not sure," said Carol Neill, a 61-year-old Republican who lives in Georgetown.

Neill said that she would not be surprised if the allegation was motivated by political considerations, stating that "a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork to try to lift the dust." At the same time, she said that does not mean that she does not believe in the woman who has accused Schwertner.

Patricia Taylor, a 65-year-old Democrat who has lived in Georgetown for three years, said she was not surprised by the allegation, but believes Schwertner should "stay in office until she is found guilty. ".

"What is extremely critical is how a candidate responds to an allegation," Taylor said. "Do they offer facts or simply deny them?"

The Texas Tribune only spoke to one person, Sarah Berry, 24, who thought Schwertner should be removed from office. Berry, who identifies herself as Republican, said Schwertner was a friend of the family and was "surprised" to hear about this allegation.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has financially supported the Texas Tribune, a non-partisan, non-profit press organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in Tribune journalism. Find a complete list of them here.