Missouri House speaker resigning, after coming under fire over sexting scandal
Updated 1:40 p.m. Thurs, May 14: Missouri House Speaker John Diehl, R-Town and Country, has announced he's resigning as speaker and as a member of the Missouri House.
His statement was issued less than 28 hours after news broke that he had been exchanging sexually salacious texts with a college-age female intern earlier this spring.
Diehl's statement does not say, however, when he will step down. The General Assembly's legislative session officially ends at 6 p.m. Friday. State Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, told reporters the House's GOP caucus will select a new speaker tonight.
Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, jabbed at Diehl for the behavior that forced him out. “Missourians deserve elected officials who reflect their values and comport themselves to the highest standards of integrity," the governor said. "Rep. John Diehl’s resignation from the position of speaker and state representative is an appropriate and necessary step. Our thoughts go out to the families who have been affected by the speaker’s conduct. I look forward to working with the next speaker to restore the public trust and continue building a brighter future for our state.”
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/missouri-house-speaker-resigning-after-coming-under-fire-over-sexting-scandal