Durham Booted From Legislative Plaza as AG Reveals More Damning Allegations

House Speaker Beth Harwell has announced she's kicking Rep. Jeremy Durham out of the building, moving the scandal-ridden Republican's office out of the War Memorial Building to the ground floor of the Rachel Jackson Building across the street. She also says she'll be limiting "access to the Legislative Plaza, War Memorial Building, Rachel Jackson Building and second floor of the State Capitol for official legislative business only."

The move comes after a letter from Attorney General Herbert Slatery revealed more allegations from women interviewed during his office's ongoing investigation — which has included interviews with 34 individuals so far — into Durham's behavior and alleged sexual harassment. The new allegations include "inappropriate physical contact with some women."

Durham has been under scrutiny for months after rumors about his caddish behavior burst into public. Three women told The Tennessean in January that Durham had sent them "inappropriate" text messages, often late at night, asking for pictures of the women. Later that month, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey openly told reporters that Durham had engaged in an affair with another legislator. (Durham said he didn't remember sending the texts and denied having an affair with another legislator.)

Durham resigned his leadership position in the House GOP caucus, but has defied calls for him to resign from his House seat and is running for re-election in August. 

Here's the key paragraphs from the AG's letter:

Information obtained from the women who related incidents involving Representative Durham indicates: (1) Representative Durham occupied a superior position of power to the women; (2) he obtained personal contact information from the women under the guise of legislative business or another legitimate reason; (3) he initiated contact about non-legislative matters and attempted to meet the women alone; (4) he usually involved alcohol in his interaction with the women; and (5) he made inappropriate physical contact with some women.

With few exceptions, the women who related incidents felt they could not report Representative Durham's behavior because nothing could be done and they did not want to lose their jobs or be considered "untrustworthy" by employers, clients or legislators. Most are fearful and extremely anxious about having their identities revealed publicly. Based upon the information gathered thus far, Representative Durham's alleged behavior may pose a continuing risk for unsuspecting women who are employed by or interact with the Legislature. 

You can read Andrea Zelinski's ongoing

. You can also

from the Ad Hoc Select Committee — formed to address the Durham allegations — and the AG.

Holly McCall, who is running as a Democrat in Durham's Williamson County district, sent Pith this statement reacting to the news:

"It's no surprise the Attorney General has validated what's been the worst kept secret at the Legislative Plaza for years. Jeremy Durham clearly has issues that have affected his work - or lack thereof - for our district, but his problems are symptomatic of a larger dysfunction at the General Assembly."