You've read 6 articles this month

Great journalism means transparency — transparency not just in who we are or what we believe as an organization, but what we know at any given time. Our never-ending objective is to keep our readers as informed as we are.

Want better media? Support a better media company

  • Reader-funded
  • Unionized
  • Mission-driven

GOP Iowa Lawmaker Accused Of Sexually Abusing His Incapacitated Wife

Iowa state Rep. Henry Rayhons
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Iowa state Rep. Henry Rayhons (R) was arrested on Friday on an accusation that he had sex with his mentally incapacitated wife, according to local news reports.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen newspaper reported on Friday that Rayhons was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a felony, in connection with an incident at his wife’s nursing home on May 23.

A criminal complaint filed against Rayhons, 78, said that he was told on May 15 that his wife, Donna, “did not have the cognitive ability to give consent to any sexual activity,” the newspaper reported.

The complaint, according to the Press-Citizen, said Rayhons visited his wife on the date in question and pulled the curtain closed in her room. The wife’s roommate later told authorities that she heard noises that led her to believe Rayhons was having sex with his wife, the newspaper reported.

The complaint also said there was surveillance video showing Rayhons “leaving his wife’s room and discarding undergarments,” according to the Press-Citizen.

The newspaper said the couple was married in 2007 and Donna Rayhons died on Aug. 8 at age 78.

The Press-Citizen reported that the case will be prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office. Rayhons has not resigned his seat, but earlier this year announced he would not be seeking reelection.

Latest Livewire
39
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. But the Bible says it was her duty, so how can it be illegal? Clearly a politically motivated prosecution.

  2. I may never stop throwing up.

  3. Well, I opened it and read it. I had warning that it would be about Republicans having Republican sex, but did that stop me? Nope. Now I can’t unknow that.

  4. And other Republicans respond with almost audible outrage!

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

33 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for austin_dave Avatar for fgs Avatar for briegull Avatar for nickdanger Avatar for darrius Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for jloomis3 Avatar for imkmu3 Avatar for leftflank Avatar for rudesan Avatar for magical_panda Avatar for candirue Avatar for bostonianinbrooklyn Avatar for darrtown Avatar for sjay1956 Avatar for cathie Avatar for jinnj Avatar for henk Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for misterneutron Avatar for mkanicki Avatar for oregonian

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher & Digital Producer:
Senior Developer:
Senior Designer: