The chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, Roger Villere, on Thursday called on Rep. Vance McAllister (R-LA), who was caught kissing his staffer, to resign.
“Mr. McAllister’s extreme hypocrisy is an example of why ordinary people are fed up with politics. A breach of trust of this magnitude can only be rectified by an immediate resignation,” Villere said in a statement. “He has embarrassed our party, our state and the institution of Congress.”
According to a Wednesday report in The Hill, the Louisiana GOP chair had reached out to McAllister directly multiple times, but failed to get on touch with the Congressman. Villere referenced his calls to McAllister in his statement.
“I attempted to resolve this matter privately and directly with Mr. McAllister, but his chief of staff chose to make this information public. Therefore, I have chosen to release this statement today,” he said.
McAllister, who is married and ran for his seat as a conservative Christian, apologized on Monday for the incident, but this was not enough for Villere.
“A video showing him engaged in conduct unbecoming a member of Congress, on public time, in a public office, with one of his employees, was the focus of the national press for days. I call on Mr. McAllister to put the interests of his nation, state and party above his own and step aside,” he said. “We are praying for Mr. McAllister and the families that are involved.”
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) stopped short of asking for McAllister’s resignation during a press conference on Thursday, but said that the congressman has “got decisions he’s got to make,” according to the Washington Post.
