{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"State Rep Jim Stewart accused of harassment &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"jFA2KySXfn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/state-rep-jim-stewart-accused-harassment\/\">State Rep Jim Stewart accused of harassment<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/state-rep-jim-stewart-accused-harassment\/embed\/#?secret=jFA2KySXfn\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;State Rep Jim Stewart accused of harassment&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"jFA2KySXfn\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stewart-for-web.jpg","thumbnail_width":250,"thumbnail_height":263,"description":"Rep Jim Stewart III (R-Flat Lick) who represents Knox County and portion of Laurel County has been accused of harassing a staffer in 2015. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported in a story on its website Wednesday that 86thDistrict Representative was accused of making \u201cunwanted verbal advances toward her, using language and tonality that she did not approve of\u201d over an extended period of time. The Herald-Leader became aware of the accusation against Stewart when a former House chief clerk filed a whistleblower lawsuit last week. The clerk, Brad Metcalf, alleged he was fired for reporting harassing text messages from a member of the House of Representatives, among other threats. In the lawsuit, he mentions a previous sexual harassment complaint filed against Stewart, who told the Herald-Leader he was surprised to see his name attached to Metcalf\u2019s lawsuit, and claims he has no knowledge of any complaints lodged against him. \u201cI\u2019ll be honest with you, I\u2019ve never hired a lawyer, never paid anybody, never been in front of the legislative ethics (commission), I don\u2019t even know what he\u2019s talking about,\u201d Stewart is quoted as telling the Herald-Leader. In an interview Thursday evening with The Mountain Advocate, Stewart maintained his knowledge of the situation. \u201cIf there was a complaint filed against me, it went through proper procedures and was resolved.\u201d He went on to say \u201cIf there is an ongoing formal complaint against me, I know nothing about it. No one has been to see me.\u201d The Herald-Leader filed an open records request, but was denied by the LRC (Legislative Research Committee). LRC staff denied the Herald-Leader\u2019s request in a letter dated March 14, citing release of the information would \u201cconstitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,\u201d as well as citing attorney-client privilege. The newspaper obtained an LRC memo dated February 10, 2015, written by Metcalf. According to the Herald-Leader, Metcalf writes in the memo \u201cthat he was informed by LRC Human Resources Director Roy Collins that a legislative employee had alleged Stewart \u2018made unwanted verbal advances toward her, using language and tonality that she did not approve of\u2019 over an extended period of time.\u201d Metcalf went on to write, (the staffer) \u201chad attempted to avoid interaction with him whenever possible,\u201d and \u201che would wait for her in other legislative suites, and engage in allegedly inappropriate conversations with her.\u201d Metcalf noted \u201cRecently, the intensity of the inappropriate remarks has carried over into various public settings, and has led to a great deal of embarrassment,\u201d and \u201cbegan making calls to her throughout the day and after work hours.\u201d These alleged occurrences led to the filing of the complaint. Nothing in information available to The Mountain Advocate suggests the alleged complaints were of a sexual nature. Although Stewart originally denied any knowledge of the complaint, the memo indicates he met on February 9, 2015 with Collins and LRC General Counsel Laura Hendrix, at which time he agreed \u201cto cease all communication with the staffer.\u201d The accusations against Stewart come on the heels of reports of misconduct by several members of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Most notably, then-House Speaker Jeff Hoover resigned from the speaker position. Stewart reiterated he was not part of any lawsuits currently against the LRC. \u201cDon\u2019t get me confused,\u201d said Stewart. \u201cThere\u2019s a pending lawsuit against the LRC. I know for a fact it\u2019s not against me.\u201d"}