The Missouri House Ethics Committee voted unanimously on Monday to recommend Rep. Rick Roeber be expelled from the Legislature.
The committee, made up of five Republicans and five Democrats, said evidence obtained over the course of its four-month investigation confirmed Roeber had sexually abused two of his children in 1990, when they were 9 and 5, and physically abused two others.
鈥淭he State of Missouri has failed these children for over 20 years,鈥 the committee鈥檚 official report said. 鈥淎lthough this committee cannot change the past, this committee can provide a clear record of (Roeber鈥檚) abuse conduct.鈥
Roeber鈥檚 conduct, the committee said, renders him 鈥渦nfit to serve as a representative in the Missouri General Assembly.鈥
A vote on whether to expel Roeber is expected to take place Wednesday.
The House has the authority to expel a member with a two thirds vote. Only one member of the Missouri House has ever been expelled, in 1865. The charge at that time .
Roeber did not respond to a request for comment, though he vehemently denied the accusations during his sworn testimony to the committee. He testified that the allegations were the result of a 鈥渂itter divorce鈥 and were published prior to the election as a 鈥減olitical hit鈥 and 鈥渁 setup.
Monday鈥檚 report described Roeber鈥檚 testimony as 鈥渃ombative, defensive, defiant and at times angry. At one point Roeber stated 鈥渁ll my kids are Democrats鈥 and agreed he was implying that 鈥淒emocrats would accuse their fathers鈥 of sexual abuse as part of a 鈥減olitical hit.鈥
The committee concluded Roeber鈥檚 testimony was not credible.
Testimony
Roeber鈥檚 second wife, Rebecca, was in 2014.
She died in July 2019, four months after an . She was survived by .
Two weeks after her death, , saying he hoped to see his wife鈥檚 legacy continue in Jefferson City.
The allegations of sexual abuse first became public in late September, weeks before he was elected to the Missouri House.
The Kansas City Star reported that Roeber鈥檚 adopted daughter, Anastasia, said he made improper sexual advances toward her in 1990, when she was 9 years old.
She testified under oath to the committee that she felt she was 鈥済roomed by (Roeber) from a very young age鈥 When we would ride in the car, he鈥檇 have his hand on my upper thigh just kind of rubbing it.鈥
She said he once took her hand and placed it on his genitals, 鈥渁nd I didn鈥檛 know what to do. I just froze there. I was 9.鈥
She says Roeber toldvher if she told anyone 鈥渉e would be in a lot of trouble, he would go to jail and our family would be ruined.鈥 She also accused Roeber of 鈥渄rowning a litter of puppies in a nearby pond.鈥
She testified that Roeber later tried to apologize for the sexual abuse, saying he 鈥渨as in a blackout.鈥
Roeber admitted to the committee that he鈥檚 an alcoholic but insisted he never blacked out from drinking.
Her mother, who married Roeber in 1984, testified to the committee that her daughter finally told her of the sexual abuse in 1993, a year after she had divorced Roeber.
A second child, who is not named in the report, admitted in therapy years later that he, too, had been sexually abused by Roeber when he was 5. The disclosure to the therapist resulted in an investigation by the Division of Family Services, which found probable cause that 鈥渟exual maltreatment鈥 of the child had occurred
But two years later the Missouri鈥檚 Child Abuse and Neglect Review Board overturned the finding.
A third child, also not named in the report, described in her testimony 鈥渃onstant beatings with a belt.鈥 A fourth child said the whole family has suffered a 鈥渉ellish nightmare鈥 because of Roeber.
The committee said it found the testimony of the children and their mother credible.
Resignation
The committee notified Roeber two weeks ago it planned to recommend expulsion. Roeber indicated he would resign, but days later delivered his written objection to the committee鈥檚 findings and requested a formal hearing.
Roeber reversed course last week, in a letter to his fellow lawmakers.
The announcement came shortly after The Independent reported on a stating that over the course of the House Ethics Committee investigation, 鈥渨e have learned information that needs to be forwarded to the proper authorities in your jurisdiction.鈥
Roeber has regular weekend visits with a minor child, the letter states, and 鈥済iven the severity of the allegations raised by Rep. Roeber鈥檚 children, we are concerned for the safety of this minor child.鈥
Roeber made no mention of Vescovo鈥檚 letter or the accusations against him in his resignation announcement. Instead, he said he had to step down because he was moving out of his district.
However, the House refused to accept Roeber鈥檚 resignation, voting unanimously to allow the ethics committee to finish its report and present it to the chamber.
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