Legislator ousted over abuse claims

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri House on Wednesday ousted a lawmaker accused of sexually and physically abusing his children years ago.

The Republican-led House voted nearly unanimously to kick out Rick Roeber, a Republican from Lee’s Summit who was elected in November.

Nobody voted against his ouster, though one lawmaker voted “present” to sidestep taking a position.

Roeber’s expulsion followed a House Ethics Committee investigation into claims made by his now-adult children that he sexually abused two of them at the ages of 5 and 9. Several of Roeber’s children testified that he also beat them with a belt, choked them and once drowned a litter of puppies.

The committee found their allegations credible.

“It is unacceptable what he has done to the home life of these children,” GOP House Speaker Rob Vescovo said during a speech from the chamber floor. “And I find him in the worst capacity to represent the people, and more specifically represent the children, of the 34th District or the children of the state of Missouri.”

Roeber didn’t respond to a request for comment. He previously has denied abusing his children.