A Kansas Democrat has dropped out of her House race after sexual harassment claims. She also criticized a Democratic Party organization.
- A Democratic congressional candidate, Andrea Ramsey, has dropped out of a Kansas race after sexual harassment allegations against her resurfaced.
- In the statement she made announcing her exit, Ramsey criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's approach to handling sexual harassment allegations.
- Ramsey has denied the allegations made against her.
Democratic congressional candidate Andrea Ramsey on Friday said she would drop out of a race to represent Kansas in the US House of Representatives after allegations of sexual harassment against her resurfaced, the Kansas Star reported.
Ramsey, who was running against Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder for Kansas's 3rd District seat, made the announcement after the Star asked about accusations from a 2005 lawsuit that she had sexually harassed a male subordinate. The case was eventually settled, and she denies the accusations.
In a statement announcing her exit, Ramsey lashed out at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for deciding to abandon her campaign as the allegations resurfaced.
"In its rush to claim the high ground in our roiling national conversation about harassment, the Democratic Party has implemented a zero tolerance standard," Ramsey said. "For me, that means a vindictive, terminated employee’s false allegations are enough for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) to decide not to support our promising campaign. We are in a national moment where rough justice stands in place of careful analysis, nuance and due process."
The claims against Ramsey were raised in a lawsuit filed by one of her subordinates, Gary Funkhouser, against LabOne, the company where she was working as the executive vice president of human resources at the time. The case had been settled without Ramsey's knowledge, the Star reported.
The DCCC did not endorse a candidate in the congressional race.
"If anyone is guilty of sexual harassment or sexual assault, that person should not hold public office," DCCC spokeswoman Meredith Kelly said.
Ramsey has denied the accusations.
"Had those allegations, those false allegations, been brought against me directly instead of the company I would have fought to exonerate my name. I never would’ve settled," Ramsey told the Star.
Ramsey had been endorsed by Emily's List, a women's group supporting female pro-abortion rights candidates. Emily's List has since said they support Ramsey's withdrawal from the race.