State Rep. Bryan Slaton (Photo by Gage Skidmore)

UPDATE: The Texas Tribune is reporting today (Friday, April 14) on new details related to allegations in a complaint filed recently by a Capitol staffer against far-right state Rep. Bryan Slaton, the Royse City Republican — and former pastor — who has spear-headed anti-LGBTQ bills in the Texas House.

Initial reports said that the complaint alleged that Slaton had an “improper relationship” with a female intern he had invited to his Austin condo after 10 on a recent Friday night, and that he had consumed alcohol with the intern, who is under 21.

Today, however, the Tribune reports that the internal complaint alleges that Slaton, who is married and 45, had “sexual relations” with the young intern.

The Tribune’s initial reports about the complaint were based on excerpts that the media outlet’s reporter had been able to review. The full version of the complaint, first posted on The Quorum Report, says the intern said she had sexual relations with the lawmaker.

The complaint also alleges that Slaton later called the intern into his office at the Capitol, showing her an email that said the two had sex — something the staff member who filed the complaint believes was a test to see if the intern would stay quiet — and Slaton then warned the intern that she and her friends needed to stay quiet about what had happened between them.

 

ORIGINAL POST: Texas state Rep. Brian Slaton — the Royse City Republican who first promised to make it illegal for children to see a drag queen last June after the Oak Lawn club Mr. Misster held a family-friendly drag event (before the club opened, with no liquor served) — is now facing allegations that he has been engaging in a potentially “inappropriate relationship” with a female intern under the age of 21, according to the Texas Tribune.

An internal complaint has been filed against Slaton with the House General Investigating Committee by a legislative staffer and corroborated by another source who “works in the Capitol [and] who had direct knowledge of the incident,” the Tribune reports.

The complaint alleges that Slaton called the intern after 10 p.m. on March 31 and invited her to join him at his condo in Austin, where the two drank alcohol together. (Remember, the intern is under 21, therefore it is illegal for her to drink alcohol and illegal for him to provide her with alcohol.”

Slaton later showed the intern a fake email claiming to know about the incident “in what appeared to be something of a loyalty test,” then told her not to tell anybody what happened.

Slaton has not commented on the allegations, but he has retained an attorney, Patrick Short, who issued the following statement: “We are aware of outrageous claims circulating online by second-tier media that make false claims against Representative Slaton. As a result, he has been advised to forward all inquiries in this matter — including any that may relate to a possible complaint — to his legal counsel.”

A representative for the intern — who the Tribune does not name — said she has been advised by the House investigative committee not to comment.

Speaker of the House Dade Phelan has said his office will look into the situation and that the “Texas House does not tolerate misconduct or other inappropriate behaviors.”

The Texas Tribune also noted that Slaton and “his current wife” have been married since 2017. They filed for divorce in April 22 but then “agreed to cease the divorce” last November.

Slaton graduated from Ouachita Baptist Church in Arkansas and from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and, according to Wikipedia, “served in the ministry as a youth and family minister for 13 years, for three of those years at River Hills Baptist Church in Corpus Christi.” Now, Wikipedia says, Slaton “works for his brother’s small business, Slaton Financial Services.”

— Tammye Nash