Leach leaves committee post in light of allegations
HARRISBURG — State Sen. Daylin Leach announced Monday that he is stepping aside — at least temporarily — from his role as the Democratic leader of an influential Senate committee as he fights decades-old allegations of sexual abuse.
“I have always believed that as elected officials we should always avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Mr. Leach, who has for years served as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. “Given that the Judiciary Committee will potentially be taking up legislation that could theoretically be relevant to the battle I am fighting, I thought it was best that I allow the debates on such issues to play out without the distraction of such an appearance. “
The change comes as Senate Democrats await the results of a law firm’s investigation of a complaint that Mr. Leach, of Montgomery County, lured a 17year-old into oral sex in 1991 when he was representing her mother in a criminal case. Mr. Leach has repeatedly denied the allegations and last month filed
a defamation suit against the woman and two activists who have supported her.
The move also comes as a large contingent of Senate Democrats seek support for a bill that would abolish the statute of limitations for sexual abuse, assault and misconduct for all victims. Previous bills seeking to change the criminal statute of limitations for such crimes have passed through the Judiciary Committee but failed to win full Senate support.
Mr. Leach wrote in his statement that he spoke to Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills, on Monday “about allowing me to take a leave from my duties” while Mr. Leach works “to clear my name against completely false assertions about events 28 years ago.”
The three-term senator from Wayne wrote that he intends to be the Democratic chair of a different, unspecified committee “where the legislation we consider will be less likely to present the appearance of a conflict.”
Mr. Costa said Monday that a decision had not been made regarding whether Mr. Leach would be reassigned as Democratic leader on a different committee. Mr. Costa said he had not seen Mr. Leach’s statement and “can’t speak” to it. The minority leader declined to comment when asked whether he or anyone else in the caucus asked Mr. Leach to step aside.
Because the Republican Party has the majority in both chambers, GOP chairs currently decide which bills come up for a vote in committee. The Democratic leaders such as Mr. Leach serve as a voice for the minority party.
Committee assignments are generally set at the beginning of each two-year session. Absent a death or resignation, it’s rare for major changes to occur outside of that initial selection.
Earlier this year, House Republicans announced that they had suspended Republican state Rep. Brian Ellis’ chairmanship of the House Consumer Affairs Committee after the Inquirer and the Caucus reported that prosecutors were investigating an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman who was incapacitated.