The Missouri House moved on Wednesday to remove a lawmaker accused of abusing his children years ago.
What We Know:
- The Republican-led Missouri House voted almost unanimously to expel Rick Roeber, a Republican representing Lee’s Summit, a suburb of Kansas City. 153 members voted to remove Reober, with just one voting “present.” Rep. Travis Fitzwater is chairman of the House Ethics Committee, and their investigation led to Roeber being unanimously recommended for expulsion. ‘
- Fitzwater said the bare minimum for those who serve in the Missouri House “is that they’ve not destroyed the lives of children at any point in their past with felonious and heinous acts.” Roeber was not present in the House during the proceedings.
- Several of Reober’s now adult children came forward in September of 2020 to testify their father had sexually and physically abused them during their childhood. The revelations came during Rober’s campaign for election to the House, which he won in November. The House investigated the allegations in turn and found that Roeber could face criminal charges for his actions.
- The investigation into Roeber found that he sexually abused two of his children when they were aged 9 and 5. The adopted daughter of Roeber, Anastasia, testified that Roeber made her place her hands on his genitals during an incident in 1990.
- Roeber attempted to resign from his position last week, but the House refused his resignation. GOP House Speaker Rob Vescovo stated, “I don’t think it is appropriate for him to walk away on his own terms as he has continued to walk away on his own terms on his children his entire life.” Members of the House called Roeber’s attempt to resign an effort to escape accountability for his actions.
As part of his removal from office, Roeber will have to pay the roughly $1,570 the House spent investigating the allegations. Roeber had served in office beginning in January of 2021.
